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Welcome to my personal list of pictures of all time greatest cinematic accomplishments, including films or – in rare cases – film series made for TV which are worth watching for everyone interested in great film making. The list of movies below demonstrates my genuine appreciation of the picture in motion as an art form, which is why the given examples need to excel in multiple fields to be worth recommending. I also try to provide short introductions to every film with my reasons for selecting them, and hope to expand and refine this list as I go along in order to make this an indispensable reference list for every movie aficionado’s perusal. I hope you enjoy the selection and it makes you want to set out on your personal journey and explore some uncharted waters in the realm of cinema. Here’s a map.

“ One of the brightest shining stars in movie history
In hypothetical 2001 Stanley Kubrick takes you on a unique journey into the unknown, far out there in the vast reaches of our universe, where man is alone with himself – or is it? Paying close attention to scientific accuracy Kubrick’s vision of the future feels so close to reality that it is still convincing many years after the year 2001 actually has passed, setting the benchmark way up for everyone else who should try to follow up with sci-fi approaches put to celluloid. But whoever might try their hands on a similar subject, the supreme beauty of what sprang from Kubrick’s ingenuity will always be something to marvel at. Remember that the mother of all space operas was produced at a historic time shortly before man made his first step on the moon – and since then “2001” has remained the unparalleled sci-fi revelation not only due to its highly effective realism, but also its sophistication, depth and audio-visual magnificence, all rolled into one.

Yet undoubtedly “2001” is so much more than just a perfectly executed sci-fi picture. It’s a voyage dealing not only with space exploration, but also with evolution, belief, artificial intelligence, alien life forms, metaphysics, philosophy, in short: man himself, his aspirations and challenges – and tries to point into what lies beyond. Or – if you want – one can still enjoy the picture just as the ultimate adventure. Take your pick! Feel free to draw your own conclusions, but there’s a lot to get out of this multilayered film, providing you are ready to put your mind to it. “2001” is a movie for the ages, a sublime experience of transcendency, a film that represents the epitome of art in terms of film-making, best summarized with one single word: a masterpiece.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

After a car wreck on the winding Mulholland Drive renders a woman amnesic, she and a perky Hollywood-hopeful search for clues and answers across Los Angeles in a twisting venture beyond dreams and reality. (147 mins.)

“ A deep dive into a dream world – David Lynch at his very best
Hollywood, the city where dreams come true. Yet the realities of the dream world have the tendency to eventually turn into a nightmare, a nightmare which is too real to be lived in… Welcome to a David Lynch picture, where nothing is as it seems, and Lynchian logic reigns to leave you befuddled, mystified, mouth agape when the curtain falls and silence spreads. Mulholland Drive is a movie which engulfs the viewer in its intricate mystery plot like no other and leaves you with a load of memorable, haunting or outright shocking images you will never forget. You might be caught off guard by the true nature of the underlying mystery, and the denouement will keep you mesmerized for sure, making a re-watch essential, yet rewarding experience. As often with an excentric filmmaker’s work, this is a movie to only get going in your head once it’s already over, and if you’re willing to get immersed in it.

Lynch’s masterpiece invites to dig deeper, to uncover new layers, hidden references, multiple interpretations. The film is as psychologically profound as it is visually stunning and while it draws its fascination from what appears surreal at first glance, it is nevertheless firmly embedded in a reality that won’t let us go, blood-curdling as it might turn out, a reality full of hopes, dreams, obsessions, fear, you name it. “Mulholland Drive” is packed with great imagery, dark humor, wonderful music and bizarre twists and turns and stars Naomi Watts in her most brilliant role. It’s a blessing indeed that Mulholland Dr. as a TV series as Lynch original envisioned and pitched it, didn’t happen and he had to rethink his ideas for a year – because that was when lightning struck. Pure movie magic. This one’s a keeper.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ Angels have names too: this one’s called Amélie
Romantic comedies rarely make it to anyone’s serious top ten list, as movies of that kind cater to specific expectations and do not attempt to be anything else. But of course there’s the exception to the rule: Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s “Amélie”. It’s the movie about the search for happiness, about small things, about dreams tucked neatly under the surface of reality which want out, also a training video for wanna-be mortal angels: “Amélie” is the ultimate reminder of carpe diem, to seize the day and play an active role in the fortune of others and one’s self, providing instructions on how to glue together broken personalities. Recounted in voice-overs, embedded in fantastic music that is as French as it can be, the movie is filmed with an incredible love for detail and quirkiness a viewer can handle in two hours: Learn fascinating facts about nothing particularly important, appreciate how different things happen at the same time all around Paris, meet traveling garden-gnomes, horses riding in the Tour de France.

Audrey Tautou was born for the role of jaunty Amélie, and she would work again with Jeunet in “Un long dimanche de fiançailles” – however, you cannot copy the magic of the first film. Jeunet always takes risks with ideas, sometimes going too far in a direction the audience isn’t ready to go with him. He should receive his merits for trying, though. Because every now and then idea, story, actors, combined with the incomparable image laden style Jeunet puts on the screen, come together, and the result is a film as breathtaking as “Amélie”.
(Watch trailer here or this one) ” – Artimidor

In future Britain, charismatic delinquent Alex DeLarge is jailed and volunteers for an experimental aversion therapy developed by the government in an effort to solve society’s crime problem… but not all goes to plan. (136 mins.)

“ Controversial, essential, brilliantly scored, wonderfully shot – a must-see!
“A Clockwork Orange” is an ingenious film-makers’s masterclass. It’s a captivating high-speed ultra-horror tour de force, a raw, grisly plunge into violence, in-out sex, rape and murder, a fall into nothingness, there and back again, accompanied by doom a-knocking with the sound of the Funeral Marsh of Queen Mary. There’s also lots of Ludwig van in between in a central role, making “A Clockwork Orange” one of the best scored pictures of all time. The topic at hand is a sci-fi tale about gruesome violence based on Anthony Burgess’ book, which director Stanley Kubrick made too frighteningly real for some, sugared by the film’s aestheticism of violence, critics say he thus embellished despicable acts. This forced Kubrick to retract his own movie in the UK in order to prevent copycats from imitating the film – a circumstance, which of course only contributed to its undisputed cult status. “A Clockwork Orange” was a risky undertaking, a film that stirred, shocked, repelled or was loved all for the wrong reasons, but there is no way around it any way you look at it.

From the first hundred percent orange screen in movie history, to Malcolm McDowell’s first shot revealing him sitting in the Korova Milk Bar with his droogies, to Jesus statues dancing thanks to changing camera angles and quick cuts and “Singing in the Rain” – in every little moment of the movie there’s no doubt that a master is at work.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ Holocaust meets comedy and someone who can pull it off
Question: Is there any conceivable way at all to combine the holocaust with comedy and get laughs out of it? Well, not really I’d say, not without completely sacrificing the unspeakable horrors the concept of organized mass murder stands for. One shouldn’t even try. If you look closer at Roberto Benigni’s “Life is Beautiful” you will see that such an attempt isn’t actually made either in this film. It’s not about ridiculing Nazis, confronting them with their own absurdities or pretend to go along with their ideas to make the underlying idiocy apparent. This is just a means. Rather the film creates a parallel, carefree world alongside the horrific reality of the Nazis, which is upheld by the central character Guido (played by Benigni himself), a clown at heart. All this in order to keep up the illusion of a perfect world for his son Giosué in the face of impending doom. “Ah, the train ride was no good,” the father admits to his son when they arrive at the concentration camp. “When we go back we take the bus. I’ll tell them!” And when young Giosué wants to quit what Guido has convinced him to be just a game, his father is the first one to head out: “We’re in the lead now, but well, we won’t get the big prize then. Too bad.” And suddenly Giosué reconsiders.

Roberto Benigni undoubtedly is a brilliant comedian. He’s unforgettable e.g. in Jim Jarmusch’s “Night on Earth” as a crazy cab driver to name just one example, but unfortunately his talent is often wasted in various light comedies. Great opportunities arise rarely for comedians, but Benigni grabbed this one and put all his heart into it, as director and actor. Contrasting his slapstick humor with the stark, painful reality of the Nazi’s final solution to the Jew problem is daring, risky and extremely difficult to pull off. Thanks, Roberto Benigni, for giving the impossible a try. Highest recommendations!
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ A masterpiece about childhood, racism, prejudice, integrity and love
“To Kill a Mockingbird” is one of the few examples where novel and movie for one really have something to say and where both versions are outstanding achievements in their own right. Harper Lee’s bestseller won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, and the movie – made with Lee’s full support and produced with the same love for the material – received eight well deserved nominations for the Academy Award. The film won three, including Best Actor for Gregory Peck, a portrayal tailored so convincingly after Harper Lee’s real life father that a lifelong friendship between actor and writer developed. Even Peck’s granddaughter would bear the name “Harper”, to appreciate the mutual appreciation. Family is also on the forefront of the film: Peck really epitomizes the role of the Southern lawyer Atticus Finch who is set to defend a black man accused of raping a while girl, convinced of his innocence. Finch has two children he needs to teach values of humanity, and these are based on compassion, courage and fighting for the right cause – against all odds. Actor and character shared these principles, and it shows.

What makes book and movie so special is that everything is seen through the eyes of the children rather than from a more objective perspective. That way the storytelling provides an unusual and fresh angle when we find ourselves stumbling into events more or less by accident and learn what’s really at stake as the youngsters go along. Yet while Atticus’ fight against prejudices may seem to be doomed, hope never dies – and it is a given that the viewer will walk away deeply moved by this picture. “To Kill a Mockingbird” is a masterpiece about childhood, racism, prejudice, integrity and love, and it excels in dealing with all of the mentioned categories. Whether in form of the novel or the film, “To Kill a Mockingbird” should be integral part of anyone’s education.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ At the very heart of the matter of moral dilemmas
With “The Decalogue” former documentary filmmaker Krzysztof Kieslowski and writer Krzysztof Piesiewicz tried their hands on an innovative TV concept for Polish television with the main focus on addressing moral issues the individual is facing. The result is a seminal series of ten small films where the protagonists are confronted with various dilemmas, forced to make decisions with ramifications on their own lives and the lives of others. Each of these films is a little gem in itself, and the entire lot put together provides even more weight. The episodes don’t necessarily represent each of the ten Christian commandments as the title of the series might suggest, but rather it’s a healthy mixture of them all, of universal value and accessible to everyone. Made in Poland in the eighties, before the time Kieslowski became known to a broader audience, the films’ strong point is to show the lives of ordinary people living in the same block of buildings, doing their everyday business. Add in a dramatic ingredient dished out by fate or caused by human nature – death, illness, tragedy, hope, love to name examples – and a person’s life takes another turn, gets unhinged or shifts focus. Paths formerly unexplored need to be considered and taken, often by the individual alone.

One of the great things about these small films is that “The Decalogue” uses actors you’ll probably never see anywhere else again (unless you explore Kieslowski’s other works), a fact that makes all these stories look as if they are taken straight out of life, portrayed by and meant for actual living people. Also due to the more bleak East bloc environment where existence is at the forefront of people’s concerns, the tales can actually focus on the people involved and their issues, they are down-to-earth, raw, gritty, sometimes quite simple, yet often deep and indefinitely thought-provoking. Thus “The Decalogue” contains everything that matters when it comes to moral decisions which Hollywood blockbusters with similar themes sorely lack.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ About things said and unsaid and everything in between – a story about life itself
Yasujiro Ozu’s Tokyo Story is a very simple narration where nothing really spectacular happens that couldn’t happen in anyone else’s life. What takes place in the film is just life itself. It’s about the not uncommon difficulties of generations that have to deal with each other, where natural gaps arise after the children have moved away from their parents and each family member is living a different life now – all things we might have experienced ourselves in a similar fashion from the one or the other side, or even from both. Everybody tries his/her best in their own kind of way when it comes to a visit. One means well, stays polite, but the lives the family members lead are their own now. While the parents don’t want to impose on their children, the children are fine when their parents are on their way again so that things take their regular course to which they are used to. But in between many things are left unsaid. “Tokyo Story” shows us in its realistic depiction of a Japanese family that only when something major happens which stirs the daily routines and challenges our outlook we become aware of what’s important and where our allegiances really lie.

Ozu’s unobtrusive direction is what makes this film so touching and powerful. He stays true to life and just shows us what’s happening, doesn’t judge, and typical of Ozu decides to refrain from camera movements altogether throughout the film which strengthens the impression that this is just how things happen out there. “Tokyo Story” is a quiet and contemplative work and the actors seem to be taken right from reality. That’s why this simple story has such an impact and ranks as one of the greatest – it hits close to home, where it resonates deeply.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ Groundbreaking ongoing one of a kind documentary about life as it happens
In 1964 Michael Apted filmed a documentary on a couple of seven year olds for a British television studio from various backgrounds. The idea was to see what the generation heading into the next millennium looked like at that early age, what their hopes were, their dreams, their aspirations. It was an interesting snap-shot for sure back in these days, but then again, who knew what would really become of those kids? Well, someone clever got the idea to revisit them at age 14 – and thus made another documentary. Seven years later they did it again, and more and more things began to shape and what at this time could be seen as an experiment became really extraordinarily interesting.

So it went on, a documentary on the lives of people like you and me. Today, a couple of dozen years later, we’ve got several more installments and have gained insight on what has really become of those children of the sixties. The series as a whole is simply the most outstanding reality documentary ever filmed, it’s all about life as close as it can get, and the feat is impossible to copy. There are twists and turns in the lives that we are allowed to follow, sometimes of course also influenced by the fact that they are shown on screen, in a positive or a negative way. However, in general we get a good portion of real life experience handed out via the Seven Up! series in a way we never are able to experience otherwise, apart from our own lives. Groundbreaking indeed, must see.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ Cinematic paradise, made for the history books
“Here’s looking at you” might be Humphrey Bogart’s trademark slogan, but eyes in a Leone Spaghetti Western reveal much more emotions and even plot than Bogey ever could convey with his. Sergio Leone made extreme close-ups the dominant shots to explain character – and a look into Frank’s eyes (played by Henry Fonda), who was deliberately cast against his usual character in “Once Upon a Time in the Wild West”, makes it perfectly clear why. There’s no need for lengthy dialog if a capable director can do so much more with style alone. And of all around brilliant visuals in Leone’s Westerns there is no shortage, no doubt about that. If the widescreen scenery is as grand, deep and epic a director can even deliberately allow the weight of silence to descend on the viewer and let the image speak for itself.

Once sound effects are added to compositions like these they become more than nice enhancements or mere fillers, they turn into characters themselves of a total work of art. An art that reaches even higher levels if you take Ennio Morricone’s melancholic score into account which rounds off this rare masterpiece. Morricone delves deep into the souls of characters, makes whole landscapes tangible, even develops plot of the powerful story. Add to that a flawless cast (aside from Fonda Jason Robards, Claudia Cardinale, Charles Bronson and others star) and every lover of the moving picture is likely to be seriously moved. Or blown away if you haven’t seen anything like this before. There are so many memorable shots in “Once Upon a Time in the Wild West” that one can stop counting them early on and take the whole thing as the ultimate template on how a great film should look like. Films like these are cinematic paradise, made for the history books, and every moment of it should be savored. Definitely one of the greatest.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ A killer combination – Stewart, Novak, Herrmann, Hitchcock and the perfect script
“Vertigo” is one of those killer combinations where just about everything fits like a glove. For one there’s the ingenious screenplay by Alec Coppel and Samuel Taylor based on the French novel “D’Entre les Morts”(usually translated as “From the Realm of the Dead”). It’s a spellbinding narration of a retired San Francisco police detective who gets caught up in mysterious events with supernatural undertones, peppered by deception, betrayal, crime and obsession. Then there’s the cast: John “Scottie” Ferguson is played in understated fashion by James Stewart, the epitome of the humble, humane gentleman and good friend who cannot deny a favor. Confronting him with mystifying blond sexbomb Kim Novak really gets things rolling and is electrifying to see. Every moment of the main characters’ difficult relationship throughout the film is absolutely believable and their chemistry on screen evident and riveting. In the music department Bernard Herrmann once again outdoes himself with an engrossing score, which will make you hold your breath in anticipation of what lies ahead – or hit you right in the face whenever necessary, and that’s a good thing. The cinematography? Pitch perfect. Locations like the Golden Gate Bridge shine in all their Technicolor glory as do striking camera shots like the one from the roof at the very beginning or those from the Old Mission San Juan Bautista bell tower.

All the brilliance is carefully constructed and well held together by master director Alfred Hitchcock himself, who knows how to pull one into the film, how to get into the characters, how to make one dizzy (with style!) – and how to zoom in while at the same time physically pulling the camera back, the astonishing trademark shot of “Vertigo”. A film to be watched again and again, practically flawless and all the way masterfully executed.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ A chock-full treasure-trove for film aficionados
Without question F.W. Murnau’s “Sunrise” is a solid milestone in cinema history. Made in 1927 it is the epitome of technical and creative ingenuity, unsurpassed at its time and still mesmerizing when seen today. Coming from German expressionism à la “Nosferatu” Murnau went several steps beyond his roots and thus brings silent film making to perfection. Silent film making? Well, here we already have an asset, which isn’t even Murnau’s merit: Hugo Riesenfeld’s score is fully synchronized with the action on the silver screen thanks to the Movietone sound-on-film method, used for the very first time here. The score thus forms a wonderfully dynamic symphony that lasts the whole length of the movie and never lets up in its intensity. Breathtaking as the music is there’s also additional effective sound, e.g. church bells tolling and the like, all in masterful combination with top-drawer imagery photographed mainly by Karl Struss.

But let’s dig deeper in the treasure chest – you might be surprised what a 1927 movie has to offer! For instance Murnau taught the camera to move freely and seemingly without effort, he uses multiple exposures and super impositions in his montages, optical effects which are all done in camera. There are forced perspective shots with miniatures, even with midgets to give the street scenes on the backlot more depth. How about deep focus and compositions inspired by the beauty of 18th century paintings, high angles to express confined space, dream sequences with effective fades and overlays – like the one where the protagonist literally drowns in guilt? Apropos drowning: Ever seen a title card drown or emerge with the sunrise? And as far as intertitles are concerned: They are intentionally kept at an absolute minimum in “Sunrise”, even the characters remain unnamed. Murnau doesn’t make just a story, but a universal one. Oh, I forgot the plot: Well, it’s about a man, his wife and a seductress and dark clouds brewing over the horizon. Sounds conventional? Definitely not in the Murnau version. There’s no better picture that could have earned the Academy’s “best unique and artistic picture” award, which would never be awarded again. The silent era was over, and there was that one picture that rose and shone in all its silent glory. You now know its name.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ Picture in search of a viewer – are you the one?
Terrence Malick never made it easy for anyone when shooting a film – not for himself, not for his investors, and rarely for the viewers of his work. “The Tree of Life”, which Malick also wrote, is his most personal and uncompromising picture to date, his grand oeuvre, with key elements of his biography woven into the plot (his brother e.g. committed suicide at the age of 19). Malick doesn’t shun from re-discovering cinema as an art form, go for a meditative slow pace, deal with universe deep issues centering around spirituality and put a popular actor like Brad Pitt in it – with predictable results. Audiences are either alienated by the result or call it pretentious, yet for the group that remains a movie like this is a true gift. Count me in the latter category: “The Tree of Life” is an all time classic, and will have a long life on the shelves of cinephiles.

The film is about a Texan family who has to cope with the loss of a family member, and the questions why and how to deal with it. From there we zoom out from the microcosm of rural family life to the birth of the universe and back again to change perspectives and put things in relation. At the heart of it all is the conflict between grace, the life of love and acceptance and the way of nature which only pleases itself. In that sense Malick’s work as a whole is desperately in search of a viewer who joins him on the journey to find identity and meaning, just like the characters themselves.

Back in the days, in 1968 to be precise, when someone else tried a philosophical approach in a movie, it was not received well at all, resulting in walkouts and complaints about a lacking narrative structure and no entertainment value whatsoever. That movie was “2001” – now considered to be one of the greatest films of all time. Douglas Trumbull once was mastermind of the visual effects that made “2001” an unforgettable experience, and in 2011 he joined Malick’s endeavor. Well, the beauty of these shots shows. And as far as I’m concerned, history may as well repeat itself.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ Unconventional, unique, devastating, beautiful – an enthralling dance with the devil
The dance with the devil based on novelist László Krasznahorkai’s novel about the aftermath of the fall of communism for sure has to rank very high up when it gets to unconventional motion pictures. Filmed in beautiful black and white by Hungarian director Béla Tarr in the early Nineties, the movie consists of twelve parts and lasts seven and a half hours with single tracking shots up to ten minutes, often with very little or only repetitive action on screen. And it rains and rains and rains. Make no mistake: Despite its length Satantango is not an epic narration, but rather achieves long lasting impressions by pointing the camera on banalities inspired by the bleakness of the scenery, perfectly enhanced by the director’s choices what to show and how to show it in order to induce a trance-like reaction in the viewer. And while doing so Satantango mesmerises, shocks, devastates, enthralls.

The time line is a bit unclear and episodes overlap or could have happened the same way at another time. Yet there is a main thread of story about a con-man in the messiah’s disguise, a seemingly eternally lasting dance in the very middle, and an essential episode about a little girl representing the core of the film – a symbol of the disillusionment and victim of betrayal, desperately searching for ways to exert some power herself in her forlorn reality. Not that much is happening in Satantango, and some things remain vague, but reality is also transcended at key points adding to the allegorical impact. The aesthetics of the experience and its ultimate conclusion will remain to those who are open for it.
(Watch excerpt here) ” – Artimidor

“ A breathtaking, different kind of war movie
Released in 1998, the same year as blockbuster “Saving Private Ryan”, “The Thin Red Line” was doomed from the get-go. If you’re looking for the bigger names, be it actors or director, or want to see fast paced action, or even just the plain old high budget Hollywood war movie, this is not it. Everyone else is welcomed into this different kind of film, which some say isn’t even a proper war movie. That might be a bit of an exaggeration, but it is true that “The Thin Red Line” approaches the topic from an entirely different angle, or from multiple angles to be precise. Malick highlights lives, struggles, hopes and dreams of various people, helps us look through their eyes of what transpires on the battlefield and how it reflects on them and their relationships to those who share their unreal experiences.

But it’s not just the soldiers who play major roles in what transpires on screen, it’s nature itself which is there and prominently so, it is always there, regardless of what gruesome deeds man decides to commit in its very heart. Sky, clouds, winds, grasses, animals, plants, man, the latter is just one of those things, a part of it, a necessity or a burden, judge yourself. Maybe there is even a subtle point somewhere as well when we see big names like Travolta and Clooney cast yet appearing only for one or two minutes or so. They are not important. But this film is.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ An audacious look into Hollywood film making and its victims
An audacious look into Hollywood film making and its victims
“Sunset Blvd.” is a film about obsession, opportunism and the rise and fall of stars and writers as cogs in the remorseless movie making machine of the Hollywood dream factory. The great Billy Wilder as the director, William Holden, Gloria Swanson and Erich von Stroheim as the principal actors, get their point across so brilliantly in a movie about movie making that it hurts. One of the reasons why it works so well is that “Sunset Blvd.” is fiction placed in the real Hollywood, where references are explicitly sought, not hidden: Star director Cecil B. DeMille plays himself, “movie zombies” of times past like Buster Keaton, H.B. Warner and Anna Q. Nilsson have roles equivalent to their importance as movie stars at the time the film was shot, even former celebrated actor/director Erich von Stroheim pretty much plays himself. This lends the film authenticity and weight, sometimes a comedic or an unabashedly cynical touch, but more often revealing shockingly tragic insights in an all too common parallel universe celebrities use to live in – insights that have not lost any relevance to this day: Once caught in a dream world it’s difficult to see through the haze of glory and notice that impending doom is just a step away…

It was an audacious concept of Billy Wilder to target the film industry within its own medium, right there at those very sound stages where usually the blockbusters were made to rake in the big money and produce celebrities on conveyor belts. The direct assault that “Sunset Blvd.” represents for sure did NOT get Wilder the Oscar for Best Picture of 1951. Well, this one has survived them all nevertheless and turned into a timeless classic. It’s a film that transcended the Hollywood machinery – well informed, impeccably written by Charles Brackett and Wilder himself, full of verve, innuendo and dark humor, directed with technical proficiency and sense of great storytelling. An ultimate film-experience in the literal sense.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ Paradisiacal cinema? – Tornatore did it!
If you love movies you owe it yourself to see “Cinema Paradiso” made by the Sicilian director Giuseppe Tornatore. It contains about everything that the cinema is about (or maybe better: once was), and more. Tornatore also wrote the screenplay for this film and it can be felt throughout that the material comes from his heart, drawing from own experiences and those related to him – the director even has a cameo appearance as a projectionist in the final minutes. “Cinema Paradiso” is as powerful as it is not only because of its topic, the direction and the screenplay, but also because of its scope – spanning the whole lifetime of the main character -, its memorable imagery, Ennio Morricone’s brilliant score and of course the carefully chosen cast headed by Philippe Noiret. By the way: Even grandmaster Fellini might have made it into the movie, intended for the role of the mentioned projectionist at the very end. But he replied to the director’s request: “At such an important part of the movie putting a face so bulky like mine could be distracting to the audience. I suggest an unknown person instead: Let Tornatore do it!” Well, so we’ve still got a master of cinema up there at least – the one who made “Cinema Paradiso”.

To sum it up: Here we have not just any film about the cinema, it’s the definitive one – and in the 50 minutes longer director’s cut an already great experience becomes perfect. If you are reading reviews like this and still haven’t seen it, you better finish this sentence and then be off to get it. Quick!
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ Approach with care… don’t forget your bolts!
Tarkovsky’s second science fiction entry after “Solaris” needs to be approached with a good deal of caution – just like the protagonist navigating the zone with his metal bolts in order to reach his goal, that fabled room which grants your innermost wish. There’s danger lurking everywhere, but in the zone’s inner sanctum there is bliss waiting – or not, depending on what you want to get out of it. For sure “Stalker” is not the regular sci-fi tale, even though it was inspired by Boris and Arkady Strugatsky’s novel “Roadside Picnic”, who also co-wrote the film’s script. Yet Tarkovsky made something entirely different out of the material: a slow, contemplative, philosophical excursion consisting of extremely long takes, a mood piece as if it were descended from another world, the zone shot in lush colors, life outside in drab black and white. In this spellbinding composition an enigma was wrapped which has prevailed until this very day…

So what exactly is “Stalker” all about? Some might say: Clearly an allegory about life in the USSR. An interpretation which Tarkovsky vehemently denied, even though there’s strong subtext one can hardly ignore. On the other hand the zone was inspired by the nuclear disaster in Chelyabinsk of 1957 – and after Chernobyl “Stalker’s” magic flared up again, even resulting in a video game to finally get to the bottom of the mystery, sort of. Then there are the numerous religious allusions put in the film, the repeated hints at the stalker’s messianic role, even though he’s just a human like everyone else, who refuses to walk the path. There are discussions about belief and hope, freedom and purpose in life, and poetry and metaphysics wait just around the corner to knock on your door and haunt or enlighten your dreams. Well, say, what do you believe in? Approach with care… and don’t forget your bolts!
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ Rebel with a cause – McMurphy vs. Nurse Ratched
Very few great films are just simple and straightforward, require no brain-twisting abilities from the viewer, can be enjoyed by practically anyone and have an inevitable impact that resonates deeply. Also one rarely finds films that are entertaining, dramatic, humorous, tragic and poetic all at the same time and on top of that have something to say which doesn’t sound moralising. If you’re looking for a picture which meets all those requirements “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” fits the bill.

Awarded in 1975 with the magic five oscars covering all main categories (Best Picture, Director, Actor, Actress, Screenplay) it is one of the most effective antiestablishment parables which takes place in a mental hospital, where sane but rebellious Jack Nicholson as R.P. McMurphy fights Nurse Ratched’s (Louise Fletcher) authoritarian regime. The two main characters play so well off each other that one almost forgets the rest of the brilliant cast, among them Christopher Lloyd, Danny DeVito or the young Brad Dourif, but also not to forget the Native American Will Sampson. All of these inmates work well, because the actors were cast to play roles cut out for them. A flawless screenplay guarantees to be instantly drawn into the world created by Czech born director Milos Forman, and our sympathies soon lie with these characters, especially free spirit McMurphy. Yet sometimes the fight for the right thing is a lost cause from the get-go. We might even be aware of it. However, we learn from characters like McMurphy that – flawed as we are – we can have the heart at the right place, even against the odds. And that there’s hope in every failure.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ Dystopic retro-future with a message: Tomorrow was another day
Despite shot in 1985 this is definitely a 1984 film. But you probably know that already. Actually – to be precise – it’s quite a timeless movie well worth watching a century later as well, as it aims to mix things from past, present and future, or you might even call it an alternate reality piece – as according to the first shot this film takes place “somewhere in the 20th century”… And thus it might be closer to reality than you initially thought!

Be it as it may: The look of the strange retro-future world we’re allowed to discover in “Brazil” is truly something else. Gilliam’s dystopic vision combines dead serious elements from Orwell and Kafka and lets it all clash with a heavy dose of Monty Python humor, sometimes satirical, sometimes anarchically absurd, deep black or just outright laugh out loud slapstick. The story at times might surprise you, irritate you, make you laugh, dream, root for Sam Lowry, then again it also does shock and terrify, it lets you think and re-think. “Brazil” has depth, is allegorical and complex, and could therefore have too much of an impact on first viewing for its own good – or it perhaps touches you not at all if you’re not into cerebral stuff. If you like a challenge, this one’s a treat – just make sure to watch the Director’s cut and not the butchered version released for syndicated television, which is a travesty of the movie’s original intent.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ Trapped in the simulacrum between life and death
One thing right ahead: Screenwriter Charlie Kaufman’s directorial debut is an extremely uncomfortable film. It is likely not to make much sense the first time around, that you are too busy taking it all in and your efforts to understand it get derailed. Many will end up repelled by the experience and don’t feel the desire to return to it. Subsequent viewings however should help to value the gargantuan task Kaufman has undertaken and to look forward to further visits to that strange place called “Synecdoche”. Make no mistake: This is no love story, much less a happy one, not a tale about someone succeeding or get rewarded by any kind of redemption. There are images which seem too trivial to be part of a cinematic masterpiece, and you’ll wonder about the surreality of some scenes and the layers upon layers that stack up. But getting into the film and getting out of it again only can be accomplished with difficulty. And that’s a good thing.

On the surface “Synecdoche” is about theater director Caden Cotard (understatedly played by Philip Seymour Hoffman) whose life more and more slips out of his hands and literally rushes by in the film’s narrative. An unexpected award gives him the chance to attempt something big, and so he builds a simulacrum, a life-size replica of New York, casting people to play roles in it in order to replace the persons of his life. But the simulacrum is not enough, and while he tries everything and then some in his struggle to find a sure footing, a proof of his existence between life and death, he turns out to be nothing else than the ultimate victim of his limitations. Caden’s story is about the loss of himself in the imitations he created, yet miraculously this sad life eventually becomes part of something larger by just fading away. For watchers will notice a deliberately designed circular structure of the film… One could even argue that Caden might just be a character in a film, and longing for a life outside. Up to you! Make sure to watch “Synecdoche” more than once. And maybe at some point you’ll learn to smile along with this postmodern masterpiece.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ Brilliant horror from left field
With “Don’t Look Now”, the filmed version of Daphne Du Maurier’s short story, Nicolas Roeg delivers a horror movie of the very different kind. It’s also one of the very best, even though or maybe exactly because Roeg stirred quite a controversy with his approach to tell the tale. What you get for sure is not the typical horror genre piece. Roeg weaves in supernatural elements, psychological drama, a crime/detective story, a famous love making scene and above all lots of realism and mood he draws directly from shooting on location. In all that a masterful play with expectations of characters as well as the viewers takes place, letting essential and unrelated random elements of the story stand side by side, adding more and more to the escalating confusion. Strange premonitions, painful memories, eerie visions and a multitude of sub-plots – all are packed into an actually highly cross-referencing movie with dominant psychological overtones. With all those threads going on at the same time the viewer is likely to get lost, just like John Baxter (Donald Sutherland), the film’s protagonist. Noteable assets are also a carefully plotted colors scheme, intelligent cinematography and groundbreaking scenes that show what exemplary editing and cutting can do to elevate a film way above its competitors.

“Don’t Look Now” leads up to one of the most shocking climaxes in horror film history and will catch you most likely coming from left field. And if it does, the director has done his job. At any rate, the dark haunting alleys and mysterious canals of Venice are the perfect environment for a bone-chilling tale which keeps its suspense ominously simmering until the inevitable happens. Recommendable for those who like their mysteries slow, enjoy to (re-)discover how the mind works and still know why horror films of the olden days are the better choice.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ Episodic glimpses at lives uncovered by the night…
The nights in the big cities have their very own mysterious and incomparable aura. Only the cab drivers who are circling the blocks after midnight and pick up ever changing passengers really have a sense of such a feeling, that strange kind of reality that engulfs them when everyone else is sleeping. You get a glimpse of the dark side of the aura if you follow De Niro’s Travis Bickle in “Taxi Driver”, and for the rest feel free to join independent film-maker Jim Jarmusch on five rides through L.A., New York, Paris, Rome and Helsinki and see what the night has to offer.

Writer/director Jarmusch celebrates the synchrony of events happening in various cabs all over the globe, where drama, fun and tragedy all take place at the same time while the earth takes another turn around its axis. All shot on location of the actual cities this episodic masterpiece was photographed excellently, there are some wonderful performances, lots of poignant moments and hilarious laugh-out-loud comedy. Armin Müller-Stahl for example as German ex-clown “Helmet” going to “Brookland” clashing with NY culture is side-splittingly funny right from his greeting “Hello! How are YOU?” Then of course there is Roberto Benigni’s wild confessional ride through Rome with a padre on the back seat, which has become an instant classic. Incredibly touching is also the final chapter in Helsinki with some drunkards exchanging tragic stories only to arrive at sunrise to catch some sleep. Or the one with the black cabbie, who learns to respect a blind woman and makes one wonder: Who’s really the blind one? Ok, ok, with all those overwhelmingly brilliant snapshots there’s one obvious downside – which is the first tale, starring Wyona Rider as a small, but tough cookie: “I want to become a mechanic!” But after all taxi driving wasn’t for her and she did eventually become an actress, didn’t she?
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ Marlon Brando and Martin Sheen between animal and god
With “Apocalypse Now” Francis Ford Coppola transfers Joseph Conrad’s “Heart of Darkness” tale into the 20th century and makes it part of the horrors of the Vietnam war. The result is a beautifully shot, highly suspenseful and entertaining movie, which can be labelled THE war movie with all bells and whistles in a scope rarely seen before in similar productions. Staggering cinematography, an excellent script, a crisp and vivid tapestry of sound and musical ambience, the perfect use of location and of course the cast – with bit players like Robert Duvall, Laurence Fishburne or Harrison Ford -, all contribute to a cinematic event of the grand scale.

Most remarkable of course are the performances of the two main characters – for one protagonist Martin Sheen (who plays Captain Willard) and the one he’s searching for deep in the Cambodian jungles, the decorated US commander gone mad, Col. Kurtz (Marlon Brando). The build-up to the encounter alone already keeps the viewer on the edge of the seat, and the pay-off is condensed in the intense and unnerving final minutes of the film. While we get there more and more questions are raised about the nature of the war that is being fought, as madness isn’t only waiting on that other end of the journey, but becomes a principle in itself on the way – thus questioning the mission, the causes and the means: Man’s position between animal and god is uncertain, but as self-assigned master over life and death his decline into madness only seems like a natural reaction…
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ A pearl washed ashore by the tide of war
There are lots of so-called anti-war films out there, which focus on showing the inhumanity of war by pointing the camera at soldiers who are shot, blown up, mutilated, that sort of thing. Often these movies lack the necessary reflection related to the shown violence, and assume that this already takes care of itself, and this is a really sad story. The result may lead the phenomenon that some people enjoy such movies because of what they see, not what the film is meant to be about. And thus it might be safer to call such movies “war films” rather than “anti-war”. Well, “Paths of Glory” is different. It focuses on the individuals, the executors in the command chain, on those, who are forced to make decisions about life and death, those, who have to survive or make achievements against all odds, who therefore use others to save face.

Kubrick’s film is short, but very intense and poignant and goes far beyond the regular motion picture which just happens to be about war. It forces the main dilemmas of a stone-cold war machinery to the surface, where everyone has to play their role and humanity has no place in it, where absurdity is method. “Path of Glory” is a benchmark as far as anti-war movies are concerned, and this also has to be said about one of the most touching final scenes ever. In it Kubrick immortalized his later wife, whose performance gets under one’s skin and suggests to us that there are also humans fighting on the other side, caught in the very same inhuman war machinery. There are films that last more than three hours and fail to make a point about war – Kubrick only needs his German wife and three minutes to make this point.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ Delves deep into paths of human existence
“La Strada” is one of the films Fellini made in his neo-realistic period, and it’s an absolute highlight at that. The picture depicts the complex relationship between Gelsomina, a naive girl, and Zampanò, a traveling entertainer, to whom she is sold by her own mother. When Gelsomina is just about to discover the wonders of the big wide world, she finds out that she’s only used as a mere tool by her companion, but there’s more to it than that. “La Strada” is a movie with a soul. It’s a realistically portrayed, highly emotional journey, which constantly oscillates from Gelsomina’s good-hearted innocence to her master’s brute force, and in between there seems to be no compromise. To Zampanò the road just goes on and on, aimlessly, as if that’s all there is to life, it’s reduced to his own basic needs, and everyone else just fills out a replaceable role. There couldn’t exist a stronger contrast to his strong masculine presence than Gelsomina and her innocuous self, smiling in the face of insults and persistent hardship, devoid of any prospects, but her joy lies in the very moment – or the next, as she easily forgets. The unlikely pair however in a way needs each other, even gives their lives meaning, though realization of this fact might happen too late…

Plot, screen play, black/white photography, Nino Rota’s score and the main cast of this touching human story are all top-notch. Anthony Quinn plays the stone-hearted Zampanò to the T and Giulietta Masina, Fellini’s highly talented wife, makes a supremely memorable impression as the simple-minded, but endlessly endearing Gelsomina. “La Strada”, which one might translate with “The Street”, or maybe more poetically and philosophically inspired with “The Path”. It’s the road that the two characters walk, everyone for himself or both together, and by accompanying these characters the picture delves deep into human existence, holding the viewer tight in its grip. A prime example of film-making at its very best..
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ What is truth?
Rainy day? Need something to ponder upon? Then take a seat at one of the stairs of the Rashomon gate and listen to a particularly strange murder mystery. But be aware upfront that this is not about the culprit, as you’ll hear several confessions, but all won’t match. Who’s lying? Why? Is it all intentional? Or due to different perceptions? Are people cheating on themselves as well? For their own good, for the sake of accepting reality, or because they are adhering to a principle they consider superior? What is real? What is true? Is it possible at all to understand? Thus are the questions posed under the Rashomon. But that we cannot grasp it is exactly the point.

Kurosawa’s version of Akutagawa’s tale “In a Bomboo Grove” doesn’t shun from irritating the audience by presenting various accounts of the same story without providing a satisfying resolution. With the abandoning of the conventional, objective narrative form he opened the door to distortions of reality shown on screen, broadening the horizons of what a camera can convey, adding another level of sophistication to the medium. Dismissed by the studio he was working for as incomprehensible, Kurosawa’s “Rashomon” however hit the western film world like a bomb. With the prizes it won it would become the gateway that opened Japanese cinema to the rest of the world and establish Kurosawa as a director to reckon with. Yet it is not only the fresh idea that makes “Rashomon” different – music and sound undoubtedly are highly effective, but the exceptionally strong point of the film is that it offers flawless cinematography by Kazuo Miyagawa, who would later also shoot Mizogushi’s appraised pearls “Sansho the Bailiff” and “Ugetsu”. And of course “Rashomon” already has Kurosawa’s future key player Toshiro Mifune as the bandit, who borrows with his extreme expressions from the silent era, and this intensity of acting makes a film about reality in question even more stirring. Good cinema should ask questions, and rarely it is done as masterful as here.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ A prostitute that gets under your skin…
In a way “Nights of Cabiria” is the companion piece to “La Strada”, both directed by Federico Fellini, both starring his wife and muse Giulietta Masina and both dealing with a woman and her struggle with life. And yet the movies conclude quite differently. Cabiria is one of those characters that really get under your skin in the progression of the film – it’s a woman who seems difficult to understand at the beginning when she’s saved from drowning, yet doesn’t even have a word of thanks for her saviours and heads off ranting. What follows is grand character development. Episode by episode we get deeper in Cabiria’s heart and mind, her hopes and dreams, see her praying for a miracle, but again and again she fails, is used, ridiculed, ignored. Cabiria is not just a naive girl stumbling into her doom, she rather seeks salvation in simplicity and belief when everything else shatters to pieces. She’s actually quite a complex character – emotional, earthy and proud in her own way, yet vulnerable and always on the brink. And we are swept away with her when eventually that turn in her fate is actually happening, the change for which we’ve all been rooting by then.

It all leads up to one of the most striking final scenes in cinema history – Fellini’s camera work and Masina’s performance invoke pure movie magic: Never before is a greeting from a total stranger as heart-warming as here, never again will a well-timed nod into the camera be so electrifying as Cabiria’s. Maybe you already know what I mean. In any case I conclude with: Buona sera!
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ Live – for there will be no tomorrow…
Akira Kurosawa’s “Ikiru” (“to live”) is a film – you might have guessed it – about life, or more precisely: about the absence of life. It’s about that hole that suddenly emerges when our time inevitably draws to an end, that hole that we couldn’t fill with meaning. For the old civil servant Kanji Watanabe (played by one of Kurosawa’s favorites, Takashi Shimura) it’s a pretty big hole. He moved papers around for years and years in his stuffy office, got awards for the monotony he got used to, never questioned what he did and why, was satisfied with what he was and never got the idea to change. But he is ultimately alone when he understands that he will die soon. And as moments of his past flash before his eyes, the value of life hits Watanabe, and he needs to make a decision what to do with the little time he still got left…

“Ikiru” shows us a struggle to escape the ways we are used to and to make the difference. Sounds familiar, right? But if it is kept real and is shot with less sentimental bombast than western productions unashamedly throw at us, then a downtrodden bureaucrat with a sudden fate inspired verve to make something happen turns into a hero. For Kurosawa this film was also a plead for individualism, especially when seen in the face of the Japanese society he lived in, where everybody played his role and life of the single man and woman became just inconveniences. Watanabe represents that flickering of hope, nothing more, but also nothing less, and his key moment occurs when he walks off with a plan, while teenagers celebrate one of their own with singing “Happy Birthday” in the background. But well, a single man won’t change the world, and to fully appreciate life one needs to be almost dead. One can get a slight advantage by watching “Ikiru” though…
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ The price of freedom
“The Battle of Algiers” undoubtedly ranks among the most unique, innovative and essential war films to date. Especially because it comes entirely without the pathos, glorification, special effects and artificially created drama that crowds want to see to get some entertainment out of war. Instead the viewer gets a fresh historical scenario – the 1956/57 Algerian insurrection of the National Liberation Front (FLN) against the French colonists. Following the events laid out in the “Souvenirs de la Bataille d’Alger”, a book written in prison by of one of the former FLN leaders, Yacef Saadi, it is an unvarnished account of a brutal reality that emerged as a natural consequence of colonial oppression. To add to the realism Yacef Saadi – now an Algerian senator – even plays a key part in the production.

Outstanding feature of the film is that director Gillo Pontecorvo opts for a breathtakingly dramatized documentary style, a genre where he came from and clearly feels at home. The result is very close to newsreel footage, which makes it look like no other comparable war picture: Executions, demonstrations, strikes, bombings, interrogations, the house-to-house guerilla warfare look so real that Pontecorvo had to point out explicitly that not a single frame of actual documentary or news footage was used in the film. Furthermore the film stays as unbiased as possible and portrays both sides of the conflict: the rebels with the few, risky and desperate means they are capable of organizing to hurt the enemy, and the French paratroopers under Col. Mathieu striking back with unrelenting force in order to crush the FLN’s backbone. The picture hasn’t lost any of its relevance since the day it was made, as an uncomfortable question on both sides of a conflict arises again and again: Do the ends justify the means?
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ Fonda casts a contagious shadow of a doubt
One room, twelve men and talk, talk, talk. Ninety minutes of film. Sounds like a bore, but turns out to be quite the opposite. The back room of a courthouse where a jury of ordinary men has to decide upon life and death becomes the place of first rate drama, where a seemingly insignificant shadow of a doubt makes people talk at least once more about what at first appeared to be a clear cut case. Henry Fonda with his understated play is in the lead of the doubters, supported by strong character actors like Lee J. Cobb, E.G. Marshall, Jack Klugman, Jack Warden or Martin Balsam.

The reluctant, some even clearly prejudiced members of the motley jury all look at the case from very different angles, but they are made real by distinguished acting and screenwriter Reginald Rose’s crispy dialog, which never misses the mark. Also remarkable is the fact that the battle of the jurors is embedded in a highly believable environment – a hot day, people sweating, emotions getting the better of them, then a downpour outside, there are casual conversations about what’s on people’s minds in the breaks, restroom scenes which serve further character elaboration. Director Sidney Lumet on his part focuses on making the film as claustrophobic as he possibly can. He uses subtle camera tricks to gradually make the confined space even seem closer to the actors as the film progresses to add to the mounting intensity and the final shots are made from below eye level to reflect the change that has taken place. “12 Angry Men” above all is a captivating character study. It is not about solving a crime, but characters confronted with decision making and how they approach it. Exceptional film-making.

Side note: “12 Angry Men” was remade in 1997 with another outstanding ensemble cast headed by Jack Lemmon. A decent film, but no reason to miss the original.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ A one of a kind sci-fi masterpiece, creative and ingenious
It was Rod Serling of “Twilight Zone” fame, who initially penned the screen version of Pierre Boulle’s not particularly successful novel “La planète des singes” and was responsible for preparing it to eventually become a cult movie. While rewritten several times later on it was the genius of Serling who was attracted by the potential of the material, laying out timeline and rules already in a first draft. These guidelines would also be followed in the four sequels of the Ape films of the seventies to eventually form a whole cohesive unit. The initial movie of course is the great one, the one with the most powerful impact, the shocker, the one that irritates, disturbs and asks all the questions. The rest of the movies in the series for sure is inferior and more pedestrian than revolutionary, yet they are all part of one great sci-fi idea and therefore should be treated as such.

As for the first “Planet of the Apes”: The picture has all good science fiction needs and more – it deals with the consequences of evolution, mankind reaching its final frontier, the ultimate philosophical questions about existence and becoming. The scenery is great and believable, Charlton Heston and recurring ape performers Roddy McDowall and Kim Hunter are standouts, Jerry Goldsmith hits the right chords with his avant-garde compositional techniques producing an innovative off-beat score and the make-up achievement was phenomenal for its time. At the bottom of it all lie the thoughts of creative minds, and we should be thankful that “Planet of the Apes” made it on screen pretty much unharmed in its ingenuity.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ Once upon a time there was Sergio Leone
Sergio Leone’s strife to make the perfect movie culminated in “Once Upon a Time in America” (1984). It was made 13 years after his previous picture, and it should also turn out to be his ultimate one. In it the master of spaghetti westerns takes the time to tell his story and crams a whole gangster’s life into a nearly four hour long epic, still complaining about essential 45 minutes that he was forced to cut.

The result is a timeless classic based on the autobiography of a former gangster-turned informant, full with period details (1910, 1930 and 1960), featuring a whole array of highly memorable scenes, breathtaking Technicolor cinematography and a truly numinous score. The theme music needs special mention as it singlehandedly raises the aesthetic level of the whole production by another notch. Created by Ennio Morricone, the famous memories evoking melancholic pan pipes not only fit the film’s emotional ride through passing time, but also help to transcend it. In general the flashback story – while criticized upon its original release – works incredibly well, with bits and pieces falling into place like in a jigsaw puzzle. And the cast of course leaves nothing to be desired. It focuses on great character actors with star status, among them De Niro, James Woods, Joe Pesci, Danny Aiello. And at the side of the young Jennifer Connelly the 13 year old Scott Schutzman Tiler plays the young version of the protagonist and nearly steals the older one’s thunder, which is no other than DeNiro.

Some say that maybe the film doesn’t actually want you to take the events for real. The film definitely has something of a fairy-tale, it could even be a dream. But regardless how you look at it, it is essential viewing and despite the violence it also portrays, an epic beauty only Leone could create.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ “Psycho” spells the ABC of horror
The face of Anthony Perkins aka Norman Bates as the psycho has burned itself deep into the mindset of moviegoers since Hitchcock’s horror thriller hit the silver screens in 1960. It’s essential for a whole genre, as iconic and unmistakable as Boris Karloff’s Frankenstein monster in Jack Pierce’s make-up and will be for many more generations to come. As far as horror movies go it can’t get any better than this. Anthony Perkins remains stuck in your mind due to his nervously shy performance throughout most of the film, likeable and odd at the same time, and the ice cold twist at the end makes perfect sense.

But the film is much more than Perkins. It’s Robert Bloch’s excellent script, Bernard Herrmann outstanding score, and then there’s the director. Hitch shows his handwriting as the master of suspense in every detail. The black and white cinematography of course is crucial and used to perfection in “Psycho”, the shadows and tilted angles contribute to an unnerving atmosphere. And who else would get rid of someone introduced as the protagonist after a third of the film? Or take the famous shower scene, where the master demonstrates his cutting edge editing abilities, literally. It’s reduced to the necessary minimum, artistically composed for maximum effect. And the mise en scène of the final revelation, the secret that awaits in the basement? Heart-stopping. In short: “Psycho” spells the ABC of horror, and rightfully so.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ Classic touchstone of film noir experience
In order to begin a story with the ending and still maintain suspense throughout the movie a film-maker needs to be quite sure of his skills to capture the attention of his audience. Director/writer Billy Wilder, assisted by established novelist Raymond Chandler with the screenplay, knows how to do it. He presents his film noir entirely in flashbacks, narrated in atmospheric voice-overs leading eventually to what we’ve already seen in the introduction. And despite the fact that we know where it’s all heading we’re still glued to our seats. New at the time and often copied ever since, but rarely done that well.

Central point is the mutual plan of an insurance rep and the wife of a rich husband to commit the perfect crime and literally get away with murder. Said salesman Walter Neff (Fred McMurray) not only commits the crime, but is also supposed to investigate it along with insurance inspector and friend Barton Keyes (Edward G. Robinson). Reluctantly but inevitably he stumbles into his own demise, which he is unfortunate to experience from either side of the law. What makes this dark existential dilemma so exciting is not so much what happens but how it is presented to the viewer and how the components fit together to form a supreme whole. Thanks primarily to an amazing script and aided by Wilder’s flawless direction that leaves nothing to desire for a film noir devotee the film indeed lives up to the expectations of its promise and has since become an invaluable reference. Aside from McMurray and the terrific Robinson there’s also Barbara Stanwyck playing the ensnaring femme fatale, and all of them deliver sharp dialog. Add to that high-contrast black and white cinematography, effective lighting, multiple oscars winner Miklós Rózsa’s score – all the best ingredients for a touchstone of film noir experience, complete with fatality drive. Classic.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ Brilliant study about the pure innocence of childhood
Brilliant study about the pure innocence of childhood
Terry Gilliam has always been a free spirit – back in Monty Python times, more recently when he attempts to marry his creativity with crowd pleasing Hollywood production values or when he indulges in an idea that is dangerously “out there” and nobody in their right mind wants to finance. The latter is the case at his adaptation of Mitch Cullin’s first-person narrative that follows the pre-teen Jeliza-Rose with a serious parents- and reality problem where sanity is not an option to survive.

“Tideland” is often described as “Alice in Wonderland” meets “Psycho”, and a rather unlikely hybrid of the chillingly beautiful kind is exactly what you get. Horror, fantasy, all around crazy people, and a story following the queer logic given all these seemingly incompatible ingredients are mixed into a whirlwind of death and the struggle get along under the circumstances which define a little person who has nothing and nobody to rely on. Often misunderstood, Terry Gilliam made it clear that the movie is about the innocence of childhood where the world is not defined by a moral code. If you watch the movie with that in mind it’s an unforgettable picture with striking visuals in a world between dream and reality, starring breathtaking child actress Jodelle Ferland and the no less superb Brendan Fletcher as a lunatic with a plan. And it all makes sense to a girl lost in the world without a moral compass. “Tideland” is a movie that stands on its own, unwilling to be put in any neatly prepared drawer, a dream of a picture, even though or because of the fact that it lends its power from a nightmarish premise. However, this one is for grown ups only. To be savored if you can find the child in yourself, and that’s tough enough.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ Against all odds a great war movie out of the Soviet Union
Grigori Chukhrai’s film “Ballad of a Soldier”, shot in 1959 in the Soviet Union, somehow miraculously happened against all odds. The board which had to decide whether the film should be made called its script shallow and a thing about a boy, a girl and a leaking roof that isn’t worth to be made in the Soviet Union. Chukhrai, who referred to it as the film of his lifetime, also insisted on changing the leads to unknown actors, there was an accident on the first day of shooting, then the director himself turned ill when they restarted, finally a mutiny cost him half of the crew – and once the film was finished it was recommended not to show it in larger cities of the Soviet Union. It won in Cannes, though.

Well, “Ballad of a Soldier” was worth all the trouble. It’s not about the Soviet Union, the Nazis, battle scenes, violence or death. It’s about a young WW II soldier lucky enough to have a heroic moment and get permission to return home for a few days. You might call him the unknown soldier. In this road movie of the different kind you learn a lot about life far away from the front lines, it’s about people and their varying struggles during the times of war. The voyage to what seems to be the other end of the world results in one of the most compassionate, humanistic, even poetically beautiful war-related movies. Plus the restored print is as perfect as it can be, making this one a shining gem in every movie-lover’s collection.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ “Bicycle Thieves” – the powerful impact of reality
In the post-war era when neo-realism was en vogue, Vittorio De Sica’s “Bicycle Thieves” (1948) was considered by some to be the greatest movie of all time. True, it lost ground in the following years, but only to bounce back recently thanks to film critics who try to unearth the defining moments in 20th century cinema. This undoubtedly is one of them.

Together with writer Cesare Zavattini De Sica made many fine movies, low on budget but with a lot to say by simply showing realities and omitting the overblown pathos film productions tend to often put before the first line of a plot is even written. The impact on viewers interested in seeing reality is thus much stronger. The neo-realistic roots not only show in the way the scenes are filmed or dialog is spoken, also the actors in “Bicycle Thieves” were throughout non-professionals. The main character, Lamberto Maggiorani, a simple workman of Breda, left his own work for two months to be in the film. Enzo Staiola, who plays his son, was a poor child, a son of refugees himself, clearly aware of the suffering lower class people went through after the war. Their performances are magnificent, and De Sica has a simple explanation for that: They are not playing roles, but themselves. Maggiorani tried to stay in the film industry, but would never surpass his portrayal of Antonio and forever remain one of the great faces of neo-realism – the face of a simple worker, be it from Rome or Breda, in life or in fiction.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ “Dmitri, we have a little problem…”
If you intend on learning to love the bomb, meet the Generals Jack D. Ripper (Sterling Hayden) and ‘Buck’ Turgidson (George C. “Patton” Scott), then add Peter Sellers multiplied by three – and of course Stanley Kubrick. The year is 1964, and the war out there is pretty cold: Welcome to the end of the world! Let’s jump right in and go for condition red, that’s a jolly good idea for a start, don’t you think? Make yourself at home in the war room, where a poster makes it perfectly clear that “peace is our profession”! Here, take some gum!

You might have guessed it already: If you want your humor black and apocalyptic, you’ve found the right movie. The doomsday machine is waiting for its cue, as some madmen got something up their sleeve. Well, admittedly, there’s a wee bit of inconvenience with that whole affair, because somehow the legendary red button actually already got pushed, and it’s only a matter of time until… But don’t you worry – the two presidents are talking it out! However, should the world – against all odds – still stand after everything is said and done someone might get in trouble with the Coca-Cola company. Alternatively, look in your survival kit to find three lipsticks and some pairs of nylon stockings. That should help!

Apparently there’s no genre Kubrick couldn’t do. Be it sci-fi, horror, war movie, epic, historical drama or political satire with this one – Kubrick’s perfectionism leaves no doubt that he’s master of his domain. And in the case of “Dr. Strangelove” he was also on the pulse of his time, or quite ahead of it if you will. As even decades later it’s still ok to get goosebumps when Vera Miles’ gets to finally sing “We’ll meet again”…
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ Dreyer pioneers in filming the perfect nightmare
While anyone even remotely interested in horror pictures will be able to tell you about the classic Universal shockers made in 1931, “Frankenstein” and “Dracula” (starring icons like Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi), you won’t have that much luck if you ask for a certain “Vampyr” film or Nicolas Louis Alexandre de Gunzburg’s only picture he starred in. Only recently getting the attention it really deserves, “Vampyr”, made in 1932, was the Danish director’s Carl Theodor Dreyer’s answer to these big US monster movies. It failed miserably on the box office and nearly cost him his career. Maybe because one of the reasons was that the picture was way ahead of its time and made for the entirely wrong audience, as a form of art rather than a typical mass audience monster movie. But to admirers of refined horror and cinematic art, this movie from teh film history vaults is nothing less than a revelation.

Dreyer’s take on horror was very European, with a good deal of German pre-war expressionism in the mix, featuring lots of shadows, weird angles, dream-like picture distortion throughout the film, fascinating camera movements, a difficult to follow, intentionally fragmented narrative, and hauntingly surreal imagery. Certain shots were done for the very first time, and later rarely as effective as here, among them the famous in-coffin camera, or dancing silhouettes of people, which get separated from their bodies, only to return to them again. Dreyer got the respect he deserved later for his other dramatic works, like “Gertrud” or “Ordet”, that established him as an undisputed master of his craft, but he was a pioneer in the horror field as well, filming the perfect nightmare. Time to make that clear.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ And when it rains, it pours…
Here’s a film to be enjoyed on multiple levels, and the good thing is: It’s entirely up to you what you want to make of it. “Magnolia” is an entry in the nowadays growing category of “hypertext movies” with no single protagonist, a film where all plots are somehow connected, interlinked and one action has an impact on another story, subtle or major, and vice versa, and so it goes with every single one of them. The result is a mosaic-like puzzle where everything forms a strange whole, patched together by the almighty power of coincidence. That is, if you want to see it that way. If you’re a believer in fate you might get a very different view, or even start wondering whether it might even make sense to consider these two principles to be synonymous.

There’s more than just events that are linked in a 24 hours time span. One of them is the great music to be enjoyed by Aimee Mann, setting the mood, creating the links, enhancing the outstanding photography. The single stories are all worth telling, they are quirky, funny, emotional, touching, well acted and adequately paced, and make the three hours of the film’s length fly by in no time. You will also find an apparent theme about parents and children, about the past that isn’t through with us, even though we’d like to get rid of it, and how it all seems to come together in a storm of metaphysical epiphany, or absurdity – up to you. Heed the trailer that “warns” us, though: And when it rains, it pours… “Magnolia” has the potential to morph in front of the viewer’s eye with each viewing, enriching the experience, as there are enough different aspects that demand new attention. Recommendation for first time watchers: Don’t look for the big message. Just expect the unexpected.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

In a futuristic city sharply divided between the working class and the city planners, the son of the city’s mastermind falls in love with a working class prophet who predicts the coming of a savior to mediate their differences. (153 mins.)

“ Finally definitive, and still pointing ahead
For many years the initially flopped and consequently butchered “Metropolis” Fritz Lang made in the mid twenties of the past century could be appreciated at least for its qualities as the indispensable science-fiction trailblazer in motion picture history. What was severely lacking from the plot however finally emerged on screen again after the famous Buenos Aires reel find which brought a quarter of what was missing from the film back from the dead. With the new painstaking 2010 restoration effort also came a grandiose symphony orchestra studio recording of the original Gottfried Huppertz score – and the results make movie buffs prone to be blown away, and this time for real.

The technical brilliance and visual lavishness of Fritz Lang’s oeuvre was always undisputed already at its time and only matched by fellow German Murnau’s ingenious approaches on film-making. There’s so much and dense imagery that generations of future filmmakers would draw from this newly emerging archetype. Among the unforgettable scenes are the giant heart machine which turns into a moloch in one of the hero’s visions, the Babel tower teeming with utopian life, the enormous sets, elevators and masses and masses of enslaved and rebellious people, the staggering creation of the first robot, all set against the dominant dichotomy between – literally – those living above and those dying below. There are echoes of communism here, of nazi ideology, of the dangers and abysses of industrialization, technology, and there are also glimpses of humanity. Not perfect in all its components, the film nevertheless has everything pioneering in it – and more. Fritz Lang, while having some reservations himself referred to the picture as a “signpost for new destinations”, and that’s exactly what it became now that we can look at the great sci-fi pictures of the past century. In them and through them “Metropolis” still lives, and once we revisit the original again we might yet be surprised that it, miraculously, still points ahead.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ The dark side of the rabbit hole
“Inland Empire” is dangerous stuff. If you decide to continue watching after the first weird minutes (where you see among other things rabbits ironing and talking nonsense), you’ll get three full hours of Lynchian strangeness, you might even say absurdities, framed by or being at the heart of a story about identity, more precisely a woman in trouble. What happens exactly in such a long running time is quite unclear and there are lots of opportunities to give up on this one. On the other hand you might come across people who claim to be able to dissect and explain the movie for you from beginning to end – which will take more than three hours though, I fear. And even considering that it’s a Lynch picture you might find you constantly asking yourself when you read theories about it: Seriously?

“Inland Empire” is difficult to rave about on first viewing. But it has its moments, leaves a very strong impression. It stays in your head, even if it only leaves you disturbed and unsure with a plethora of unanswered questions, all let loose on you. Asking yourself if Lynch has finally lost it is absolutely valid at this point. Yet – who knows? – he might have wanted it exactly the way it came out. Or it is a combination of both. Be it as it may: “Inland Empire” is a vivid play with associations, references, a trip into hell and back, which demands a lot from its viewers. Try to analyse it to death or let it wash over you with its ambiguities kept intact, receiving it only on an emotional level to get to the things behind. On the screen there’s Laura Dern’s stellar performance. And behind? Well, there might be a rabbit hole for those who look closely…
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ “Rosebud” leaves its indelible traces
When RKO Radio Pictures gave young radio celebrity Orson Welles the opportunity to work on two pictures of his own little did they know that these two projects nearly would cause the company to go bankrupt. “Citizen Kane” was one of those films where the then 25 year old director and star Orson Welles pulled every possible trick from the books to make an impression, yet – while immediately critically acclaimed – nobody wanted to see the result. By now however the movie’s profound influence in American film making is undisputed. And there’s a lot one should know about it.

For one as far as the technical side is concerned: Welles shot in deep focus (front and back are both in focus at the same time), used subtle optical illusions, framed his scenes brilliantly, pioneered with invisible wipes, worked with models combined with sets and matte drawings, cleverly placed cameras to force strange angles, even moved furniture there and back again while in a scene, played with mirrors, shots that emphasized size and grandeur or dwarfed a person – the list goes on and on. “Citizen Kane” however is also all about acting, as there’s no moment when the viewer doesn’t buy Kane’s age whenever he is seen – be it in is early twenties or on his deathbed decades later. The character’s body language and mannerisms are believable throughout, and when we get to the final reel and finally learn the secret we feel that we really have the key to understand that person. Ah yes, speaking about “rosebud”… That’s the third point that needs mentioning: The depth of the story. It’s core was inspired by tycoon Randolph Hearst, whose media outlets promptly boycotted the film in reaction, Hearst even wanted to buy the film in order to destroy it… Ah, Welles apparently was on to something! But there’s of course a lot of fiction as well in “Citizen Kane” thanks to screenwriter Herman Mankiewicz, and so “rosebud” leaves its indelible traces in everyone who ever tried to get to the bottom of the mystery.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ A man escaped movie making conventions
Robert Bresson’s works are productions which don’t intend to satisfy expectations of the audience, they are primarily arthouse projects. Bresson’s films thus are non-commercial, he only uses non-professional actors, rarely integrates music, besides his shots are realistic, lack action and instead focus on the essential, there are no embellishments to sell a scene. What you see on the screen is understated, minimalistic, carefully planned efficiency – less is more.

All these things apply to “A Man Escaped”, based on a true story, and the title already tells you the whole plot. It’s as basic as that, and miraculously this does the trick: In between the daily prison routines we get to know how our protagonist works on a plan to make the impossible happen, piece by piece he progresses, and the longer his efforts last the more we identify with the endeavor and root for him. Bresson’s direction is restrained, unobtrusive, the pace is slow, dictated by prison life regularity, yet the film turns out to be extremely suspenseful in its simplicity, despite or maybe because it doesn’t shun to return to the same images and camera perspectives again and again. Sound plays a key role and of course the recitative voice-over, which holds it all together. I guess it’s safe to say that a man indeed escaped movie making conventions with this one and succeeded – chapeau bas à Robert Bresson.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ A picture about flight – but where to?
“Les Quatre-Cent Coups” is arguably the French filmmaker Truffaut’s most personal film, borrowing a great deal from own experiences and people around him or circumstances Truffaut could identify with. The English translation of the title unfortunately doesn’t reflect the ambiguity which is prevalent in French, where the idiom “quatre cents coups (du diable)” refers to “impish pranks” or “pieces of mischief” and beatings at the same time. The emphasis does not lie on the latter in the original intention, thus setting the picture in a better context. Be it as it may: Being the first feature of Truffaut after having started out as a film critic, he knows exactly what he wants to do with the material, and it shows as he embraces realism in Paris of the 50s and 60s – real life, everyday people, situations as they happen, right until the minuscule details.

What you get with “Les Quatre-Cent Coups” is not a big epic story, it’s small things put together. It’s a progression, a chain of consequences where cause is followed by effect, with pieces here and there adding to the downward spiral that draws Antoine Doinel more and more into it. He is a boy with hopes and dreams, trying to cope with his life the best as he can given the cards dealt to him on his spinning ride, reacting in a young adolescent’s way to counter them, making mistakes, yet also attempting to correct them, nevertheless ending up running, running, running – where to? Truffault just poses the question in intense imagery, unusually long, slow and poetic scenes, with wide children’s eyes starring back at the viewer, photographed in splendid black and white. An emotional journey not to be missed.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ Shakespeare, Kurosawa – a classic spectacle
In Ran, one of Akira Kurosawa’s last pictures, the legendary director once again returns to themes he has dealt with before in such impressive pictures as “Throne of Blood” or “Yojimbo”, and these are: power struggle, arrogance, selfishness, greed, betrayal, suspicion, revenge, blackmail, battle upon battle, madness, death and tragedy. To sum it all up means to spell the title of this epic: “Ran”, which stands for “Chaos”, and this is exactly what you can expect when things get out of hand in a once thriving land. The film is a loose rendition of Shakespeare’s “King Lear” and begins with what an old warlord thinks to be a good idea: to abdicate and make room for younger blood. But his three sons have their own agendas and soon clash to decide upon the right of succession until everything that reminds of the once glory days is irretrievably gone.

“Ran” lasts nearly three hours, has beautifully choreographed battle scenes, sharp dialog and is packed with lots of strong main characters: aspiring and falling warlords, conniving wives, a faithful, wise jester, a symbolic blind man on the edge of a cliff, to name just a few… Unlike the mentioned Samurai movies, “Ran” was shot beautifully in color and features hundreds of extras, making the film one of Kurosawa’s most visually stunning movies. If you like it monumental, you can’t get past this one.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ Labyrinthine, elusive, puzzling, circling – welcome to Marienbad!
“Last Year at Marienbad” is that famous enigmatic movie, which was made due to a principal understanding of director Alain Resnais and writer Alain Robbe-Grillet to deconstruct a movie, to experiment with narration, style, images, music, motifs. While shot precisely after Robbe-Grillet’s screenplay, something different came out eventually as the writer said himself, apparently a filmed re-interpretation by Resnais of a “nouveau roman”. And I guess that’s a good thing. Because this film is not an ordinary one – it’s labyrinthine, elusive, puzzling, a loop of sorts, circling around questions and few definite answers. It’s a dance, around and around petrified figures, involving love, obsession, rejection, jealousy, memories, maybe lust, rape, liberation and murder – but who knows for sure?

Anyone trying to dig up the true story behind Marienbad will be contradicted by others, so the question arises: Is there actually an objective story to be unveiled in the structure of this film, which the makers intended us to find? Or are question and answer the movie seems to suggest primarily in the viewer’s mind? If you’re willing to immerse yourself into something you might not be able to grasp, then you could as well try a trip to Marienbad. You’ve been warned!
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ Charles Dickens and David Lean – expect something great!
Fancy watching an exceptionally great narration? Something which holds you in its grip from the very first moment, where you can smell the air of the atmosphere and are anxious to see how the story unfolds? Well, then take a great epic 19th century story spanning several decades with well worked out characters and various twists and turns by a respected writer like Charles Dickens. Add a director like David Lean, who is known for his excellent storytelling abilities with the camera, and you’re in for a real treat on the big screen.

Enriched with highly impressive sets and costumes, a wonderful cast, shot in striking black and white cinematography the book comes to life as only few film adaptations of works of literature do. The depth of the characters and themes involved can be seen and felt in every detail, and this despite the fact that not everything of Dickens’ characters, their relationships or the original ending made it into the movie. If you’re that good with storytelling this doesn’t matter that much. With “Great Expectations” you can expect no less than a true classic.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ Hiroshima, Nevers and the pledge to remember
“Hiroshima, mon Amour” is a film about memory, about bliss and happiness of long ago buried in the rubble of trauma and the fear to forget what was before. As forgetting means the threat to eradicate everything that once constituted individual or collective meaning of life, to let a dream that transcended sorrows, the hope, elation and joy sink back into oblivion, to make the past and thus existence built on it irrelevant. Director Alain Renais and writer Marguerite Duras set out on a remarkable poetic journey to express these mentioned thoughts and hauntingly succeeded. The viewer becomes witness of the portrayal of intimate insights in the soul of a French actress who has a brief affair with a Japanese, but the sincere love combined with the horror of the historic place the couple finds itself in is reason enough to awaken an own personal story of innocence that once resulted in tragedy. The Japanese city of Hiroshima and the French Nevers become symbols of lives where history casts a long shadow and drowns the light. Unless one finds a way to penetrate the darkness, and in this rare case two people do.

“Hiroshima, mon Amour” is a true piece of art with an emphasis on Duras’ literary approach on the subject matter, enhanced by Resnais Novelle Vage inspired cinematography and editing techniques. The film conveys a deeply melancholic tone through images, camera movements, restrained music and monotone talk. Renais adds quick cuts and cross cuts to capture how thoughts and emotions travel from one city to another, from present to past, from trauma to what preceded it, circling again and again around the protagonist’s hidden secret in order to unearth it, share it, finally give it back its importance. In the end it is all about Hiroshima, who helps to remember Nevers, and Nevers to remember Hiroshima. “Hiroshima, mon Amour” is probably not a film to instantly grab you, but it is a lasting one. One to… remember.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ A world between Bunuel and Kafka – surreal, depressing and inescapable
“Eraserhead” was David Lynch’s first feature film. It was made in 1977 on a shoestring budget and it is a strange, weird, confusing, twisted, yes, a bizarre and surreal film, experimental some might say, nightmarish others, a paranoid experience perhaps, abhorrent, nasty, disgusting, shocking, horrific. Don’t watch it! Worst movie, ever! And there are those who call it pure cinematic genius and a must see. But beware: Even if you know Lynch’s later work, which is rarely straightforward either, “Eraserhead” poses its very own challenge by trying a balancing act between a surreal world à la Bunuel and a depressing, inescapable one like Kafka’s at the same time. It is Lynch’s most radical and raw work, an art movie for sure, so expect the unexpected.

Yes, “Eraserhead” needs to be seen if you care for movies. And I’d say the main themes are not that difficult to grasp if you know a few biographical details on its creator, have a bit of an imagination and enjoy thinking about what got through to you by disturbing you. You might put a label on this or that to get to the bottom of the various symbols used in the film – this helps, but the sum of the picture is more than its parts. Most of all it shows the genesis of a filmmaker who would still be talked about decades after he made that incomprehensible thing called “Eraserhead”.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ He really was somebody… – big time!
“On the Waterfront” was made for all the wrong reasons: With it Elia Kazan’s wanted to justify taking part in the HUAC witch-hunts where he ratted out fellow directors as communist sympathizers. Well, the film raked in eight Oscars, undoubtedly because – maybe among other things – the film is an absolute stand-out and has deservedly earned its classic status in its own right. But all the controversy aside, one thing is for sure: It’s Marlon Brando’s great hour. While Karl Malden’s as a priest, Rod Steiger as his brother and Eva Marie Saint playing his girlfriend all deliver remarkable performances, Brando is heart and soul of the complex protagonist, longshoreman Terry Malloy. The former prize fighter gets caught up in the schemes of corrupt union bosses, he’s involved in the murder of the brother of the girl he falls in love with and the harsher his reality gets the more his inner struggle tears him apart.

Most famous of course are the confrontation scene in the taxi with Rod Steiger or his casual improvised playing with a glove while delivering pitch-perfect character dialog. Always on the edge balancing between a strong macho image and his soft side Brando pulls out all the stops and is captivating in every moment he has, whether he plays the unsure, vulnerable guy or the protective, the fearless, the avenger. “I could have been somebody…” he says in the film, in a way sealing the fate of another man with his implicit accusation. Well, as an actor he made his own fate. He really was somebody. Big time.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ Leone, Morricone, Eastwood, Wallach, Van Cleef – the Western at its peak
Watching a Sergio Leone Western is like sitting down for dinner Italian style the way Leone enjoyed it: You’ve got the whole family there, its slow but keeps coming and coming and the whole affair eventually lasts for hours – but you savor every minute of it.

Part of the family are: Clint Eastwood (“the Good”) of course in his third and final installment in a Leone movie, Lee Van Cleef (“the Bad”) and Eli Wallach (“the Ugly”). Viewers familiar with the Dollar movies need no introduction to Eastwood’s Blondie character, the gunslinger who spells cool, but his two adversaries/companions on the bounty hunt are on par in this one. Especially Eli Wallach steals the show with his twisted opportunistic, rough, down-to-earth, yet also outright funny performance, and Cleef’s angel eyes never looked better and deadlier than in a Leone close-up underpinned by Ennio Morricone’s extravagant, almost surreal soundtrack. The latter is a given considering Leone’s previous collaborations with the master composer, but just as Leone’s understanding on filming, Morricone’s music reaches a new level in “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly”. As for Leone: You’ve got it all here: The long shots over deserted lands, battlefields, hundreds upon hundreds of graves, counterbalanced by the extreme close-ups of characters digging deep into their minds and souls, plus there’s the deliberate time the director takes to tell his story about greed, full of twists and turns, spiced up with irony. Unmissable.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ Dramatic comedy or comic drama – at any rate a must-see, Wilder-wise
Jack Lemmon is always a sight to behold on screen. Paired with a congenial partner he regularly strikes gold. As is the case in comedies he did with Walter Matthau. And if you’re looking for the perfect female counterpart, let’s submit Shirley MacLaine – a combination that worked so well that they’d be put together again in another of Billy Wilder’s big hits three years later, “Irma la Douce”. Everyman Lemmon and sweet MacLaine play so well off each other that it is impossible not to root for them as a couple. But boy does it take a while until the cards are dealt right…

As for other assets: “The Apartment” is comedy, but not a light one – it has rather dramatic points to make and does so effectively. Just like Wilder’s “Lost Weekend” is a very serious drama about a drunk, yet there’s enough room for comedy, even horror in that one as well, and there’s always a lot of irony and satire. Wilder, who also co-wrote “The Apartment”, has the rare gift of telling a great story on the typewriter and with the camera, for one by injecting a good portion of realism and on the other hand successfully transcending genres, thus endowing his characters with more depth and believability than they would if they’d play it only for laughs. This strong dramatic aspect is reinforced by the use of black and white cinematography, widescreen shots framing mass scenes with individuality completely drowning in it, and of course the plot with its questionable morality where extra-marital affairs and a suicide attempt add the necessary weight. Now balance all that with a charming and lovable main character, and the gorgeous soulful girl on the brink, who needs to come to a realization, and you’ve got much more than just a romance with a lot of pathos. “The Apartment” is first rate, director-wise, and a film to be thoroughly enjoyed from beginning to end, entertainment-wise.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ Do androids dream of electric sheep?
In 1968 science fiction writer legend Philip K. Dick posed a legitimate question, asking: Do androids dream of electric sheep? Well, do they? If the thought hasn’t crossed your mind yet, feel free to give it a shot… And/or try the movie version of Dick’s novel, where Ridley Scott tries as well to shed some light on the matter and force us to think. And rethink again. As “Blade Runner” is indeed existential science-fiction in its purest form. Not mass audience compatible on its release, the film became cult nevertheless and Scott continued to make his own alterations, so the fifth cut was eventually labeled the final one. Voice-over, romance and additional side plots are either subdued in the current version or a thing of the past, while the central philosophical theme is now strongly emphasized, and the experience thus gets much more intense. “Blade Runner” takes place in a “retrofitted” future, in a society that has evolved, but where the intentions of the big corporations contrast with the squalor in the overcrowded streets of the megalopolis. This beautiful anti-future where man creates replicants in his own image in order to send them to dangerous, menial or leisure work on off-world colonies makes the perfect setting for the art form of neo-noir. Especially when some replicants are running wild. Time to make clear that their existence is limited.

“Blade Runner’s” cultural influence has been enormous. Its visual style constituted a model for many retro-future flics to come, the underlying themes proved fascinating and have held sci-fi fans in their grip until this day – plus there’s that decisive extra where Scott begs to differ from Dick’s novel. The movie version for sure brings us closer to answering Philip K. Dick’s initial question: Do androids dream of electric sheep? After watching we might conclude: Yes, quite likely. But at the same time there’s that new question that arises, which is: What’s a replicant?
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ A visual feast for the eye and food for thought
Weaving a fairy tale into a harsh war environment, combining historical drama, fantasy elements and horror and make everything work when it is played against each other is not an easy task. “Pan’s Labyrinth” works. Mexican director Guillermo del Toro tells a little girl’s story in fascist Spain of 1944, and it is full with mythology, symbols, lush colors, jaw dropping scenery, dreamlike music and lots of imagination. Coming from his heart, conceived years before he finally could commit it to celluloid, del Toro knows what strings to pull in the film which he also authored. As a director he prefers real sets, miniature shots and actors over CGI, and while the latter has its part as well, it is more a supportive role in order to tell the tale. Said tale is far more than the traditional good versus evil, it’s about contrasts and the collision of worlds for sure, but also about choices within and outside realities if you will, about convictions and truths only found in one’s self.

In a way “Pan’s Labyrinth” has a lot to do with Terry Gilliam’s absurd fantasy retro-sci-fi film “Brazil” or even “Tideland”, though it differs distinctly in style from these examples. And like Gilliam’s pictures “Pan’s Labyrinth” is like a breath of fresh air for those who want to get out more of fantasy than the common orc bashing. “Pan’s Labyrinth” is a fairy tale and tragic reality at the same time, a visual feast for the eye and food for thought, filmed poetry to be enjoyed and appreciated more with every viewing. If you like intelligent fantasy, this is your thing.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ Liberation, your name is Juliette Binoche
“Trois Couleurs: Bleu” often ranks only second in Krzysztof Kieslowski’s trilogy dealing with liberty, equality and friendship. True, the picture doesn’t have the emotions on the forefront like “Rouge” does, but in its coldness, estrangement and portrayal of unspeakable desperation, its painful observation of someone who just cannot go on anymore lies its strength. Juliette Binoche plays a woman who epitomizes loss: her husband is dead, so is her daughter, all in an instant. Gone is what she was used to call her life, her passion for everything she ever cared for, the money has lost its importance, even her demented mother doesn’t know anymore who she is, and it doesn’t end there. Staggering on the brink of the abyss there is no will anymore to leap over the cliff, but even with the decision to retreat from everything the lives of others are affected…

“Bleu” is the perfect combination of a visually oriented director, great script and editing (e.g. with inventive fade to blacks) – and an actress who perfectly understands how to play a grieving, inaccessible widow and at the same time the fragile being who could shatter any minute. Oh, and we shouldn’t forget the importance of music in this movie, as this is what it’s all about: To bring back music in someone’s life in order to liberate the self from, well, let’s say: being blue. It works so well that it hurts – but that’s the purpose.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ The self, the unknown and a step beyond
Outstanding movies should point to something that lies beyond, wherever that may be. To a horizon, clearly right in front of you, but which you cannot grasp, not even try to. Or beyond your own self, to something trusted, something so deep inside that it fails all description, eludes you, yet teases to understand it – after all, it has always been there. Few movies manage to point at both, like “Solaris”. This is a picture that operates on the borderline between the self and the unknown, between what is alien and what makes us what we are, and even more so: “Solaris'” theme is in fact about understanding: ourselves, the unknown, the bridge between these extremes… all wrapped in one of the most powerful science fiction stories of the 20th century, written by Stanislaw Lem.

Lem’s book focuses on the futile communication attempts between entirely different beings, humans on the one hand and an intelligent ocean-like form of existence on the other, a life-form which covers a whole planet while producing fascinating phenomena to the guests from afar. The ocean communicates by materializing physical human imitations, persons created from the memory of the humans – blessing or curse, attack or welcome gesture, who can know? In this process of confrontation the humans have to come to terms with what they find in themselves. Tarkovsky’s adaptation adds its very own spiritual twist to the source material, opening up more doors than it gives answers, but establishes profound philosophical issues in the scope they deserve. Don’t look for special effects or action here, be prepared for an extremely slow trance-like experience that sucks you in and will stay with you.

Soderbergh by the way remade “Solaris” in 2002. It is a Hollywood product, has George Clooney, is more accessible and basically a bland sci-fi romance, devoid of Tarkovsky’s depth. Take your pick.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ When a man isn’t around he leaves an awful hole, isn’t he?
Voted as the “Most Powerful Movie of All Time” by the American Film Institute in 2006, Capra’s masterpiece now seems redeemed once and for all after it had been considered a major disappointment at the box office back when it was released. Due to a clerical error (or should we better choose to say, divine intervention?) the film even went into public domain, and well, now that it can be shown by every station on the planet it has turned into the ultimate Christmas classic, all ages aboard. The picture might look a tad dated in parts, but on the other hand this is exactly what embeds this fantastic journey even better between fairy-tale and harsh reality. And thus it hits home when it is holiday season again, the Christmas tree is being decorated and the smell of ginger bread hangs in the air.

“It’s a Wonderful Life” is about standing up for the community, for principles, for family and friends, for those things that are important in life. Now that all might sound commonplace, but every now and then we need a serious reminder, so it might as well be in the Christmas season. The movie builds up magnificently to its final third, when everything goes downhill at the same time, and America’s most favorite son-in-law James Stewart as George Bailey finally loses it. At this moment an already great character-driven movie turns magical when all threads come together and lead up to a breathtaking finale one isn’t likely to get tired of. The climax is engaging, uplifting, heart-warming, and the all around great photography further enhances the effect. I can’t say if Jimmy Stewart got his wings with this one, and he’s probably already immortal anyway for many a reason. For sure he got his place in the audience’s hearts with the film, and someone up there gave us the chance to revisit his struggle every year and teach us that after all one’s better off being alive. Just remember: When a man isn’t around he leaves an awful hole, isn’t he?
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

A Victorian surgeon rescues a heavily disfigured man who is mistreated while scraping a living as a side-show freak. Behind his monstrous facade, there is revealed a person of intelligence and sensitivity. (124 mins.)

“ About monsters and someone with a human soul
“The Elephant Man” is not your typical excentric brainy David Lynch flick, but it was the one that really launched his career as one of the most important filmmakers of today. It is also one of Lynch’s most accessible films – realism and story go first. This highly commendable effort results in a very unusual biopic, following the true story of John (originally Joseph) Merrick, who lived in Victorian England of the 19th century, severely deformed from birth on. The picture steers a highly emotional course. For one it shows Merrick’s life as a human curiosity, exhibited and exploited for his abhorrent looks, with his abnormality being celebrated, his helplessness greeted with violence to make the caged animal obey. Degraded to a mere creature, the abuse is physical and mental. But we also get to learn about a person named John, his other side, as one among others, who earns our respect as every human being does, regardless of race, belief, deformity, or any other prejudices. As with similar films where the horror is not merely a fantasy of its creators (take for instance Tod Browning’s “Freaks”), “The Elephant Man” is serious material one cannot recommend enough to watch, as it will undoubtedly leave an impression. The way the soul of John Merrick is carefully unwrapped is just heartbreakingly executed, helped tremendously of course by the endearing performance of John Hurt. Anthony Hopkins as the doctor who harbors the unfortunate Merrick, fully delivers, as do Hannah Gordon, Sir John Gielgud and Anne Bancroft, who complete the supporting cast. There are very few movies out there which can offer you life altering experiences. “The Elephant Man” might be one of them.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ Reflections from the looking glass
Here’s a kind of movie that helps you think outside the proverbial box. “La double vie de Véronique” teaches you to appreciate escaping the comfort zone of trusted logic, recognize its pitfalls and see a strange, maybe even absurd fantastic premise in an otherwise realistic picture as a chance to discover something that cannot be named. Sure, Kieslowski pictures are always a combination of beautiful images, evocative music and a strong cerebral component, but “La double vie de Véronique” is his most enigmatic, thought provoking work. Various threads are spun by writer and director which appeal to the viewer’s imagination, so that they may be connected or respected just the way they are and seen as a whole: Two different lives, one face, strings attached or mere coincidence? Is there fate? Does the demiurge work as puppeteer or are our actions influencing others in a way we would never anticipate? There are no metaphors in my work, Kiesloswki once said. Sounds challenging? Feel free to connect your own dots in this magical adventure of parallelism seen through the looking glass!

Just one thing: The purpose of art is not to provide answers and be prescriptive in its implications, be they moral, social, historic or otherwise, but rather to open up new pathways and perspectives and question what we’ve been used to take for granted. In this respect Kieslowski succeeds indubitably and delivers a dazzling work of art to be looked at. Again and again.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ What we see and what we seem are but a dream – a dream within a dream
Above all Peter Weir does two key things in “Picnic at Hanging Rock”: Setting up a huge mystery and, well, dealing with it in a very unique way devoid of any sensational or commercial interest, an approach, which has divided audiences ever since. If you take the trip, be prepared for something different – you might be claimed by the mountain, and whether that’s a good or a bad thing, well you be the judge of that. But whatever you get out of it, it will defy categorization.

The film at any rate is true to Joan Lindsay’s novel, and compared to the book has the advantage of a beautifully haunting score composed by Bruce Smeaton, mostly performed by pan flute player Gheorghe Zamfir – melodies which become recurring players when the events unfold. With this enchanting and eerie music Weir underlays the lush dream-like imagery he photographs, thus creating an alien, otherworldly, even ethereal atmosphere, somehow outside of time and space, a breath of eternity. You might get chills, goosebumps or both at the same time in this weir(d) mix of beauty and horror out there at that Australian college, where Mrs. Appleyard (Rachel Roberts) holds a tight rein over her girls. “Picnic at Hanging Rock” can be and has been interpreted in numerous, very different ways, and there was even an “insightful” chapter of Lindsay’s novel released posthumously. But frankly, all what’s fascinating is in the book. And in the film. If you’ve seen it and enjoyed it you’ll also know why.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ A woman in trouble mystifies, irritates and shocks…
Bergman films often have – and this is partly due to the director’s history as a playwright – a very stagy look to them with talky characters and little action, even though one can be assured that what happens on screen is meticulously constructed and technically brilliantly executed. The drama that unfolds however has more to offer than what is apparent on the surface. Frequently it constitutes an introspection made explicit with the elements shown to the viewer catering effectively in support of this basic idea. This approach might make Bergman’s film less accessible and look dated to modern audiences despite an interesting theme at the core, regardless of the obviously commendable cinematography, the exquisite lightening and direction. But as so often with a master of his craft, it pays off to dig deeper and look closer, especially at a multilayered work like “Persona”.

The film is seemingly easy to summarize: “Persona” follows the nurse and her patient, and the viewer accompanies them as they try to get to the bottom of the woman in trouble. Which is not to say that we can easily penetrate to the source of it all, assess the consequences deriving from our observations and come to an eventual clear resolution in this mystifying work of art. The film undoubtedly is a highly psychological study, irritating, disturbing in parts, even right from the start confronting us with shocking images, constantly occupying the mind. It is a mix of reality, fantasy, dreamlike and surreal moments – and of course there are those question marks… While the picture is open for different interpretations, it falls never short of generating a strange fascination and suggests new angles on repeated viewings. As such “Persona” constitutes a challenge and intellectual enjoyment – and if you’re willing to go that path it doesn’t look dated at all.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ A true happening – Davis vs. Crawford
Teaming up caliber actresses Bette Davis and Joan Crawford – or better: unleashing them against each other – clearly was a struck of genius. It is more than a rumor that the grand dames didn’t particularly like each other, and in “What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?” they made the very best out of that, teaching each other lessons on how to deliver memorable performances. It’s really impossible to tell which one was the more convincing player, Bette “Baby Jane” Davis with her acid portrayal of the villainous sister or Crawford as the crippled wheel-chair bound, helpless, more and more despairing Blanche. But this shouldn’t be the viewer’s loss. The juicier part with the more memorable scenes (and there are aplenty!) undoubtedly goes to Davis in her role as the inventively insidious sister, but the film as a whole wouldn’t work as well without Crawford’s fragile soul shattering little by little in the face of the open hatred she’s confronted with.

Aldrich’s thriller about this sibling rivalry of the different kind is dark and macabre, an exemplary black comedy with shocking images, twists and turns, all the way nail-bitingly suspenseful – in short: an instant classic. “Baby Jane” is also one of those films that are impossible to imagine in color as the black and white cinematography for one is part of the story, which stretches over decades, and furthermore it adds considerably to the absorbing mood that is being created, to that other side of the coin of Hollywood fame long gone by, detached from reality. What remains is an entirely surreal world ex-celebrities are living in, complete with the crazed downward spiral we’re invited to witness. What happens in or around the limelight when egos clash ever so often is based on false hopes, envy, lies and deceit – but the good thing about it: You can grab a seat and watch the showdown!
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ Listen to the heartbeat of existence…
“Baraka” is not a picture in the ordinary sense. Not a word is spoken, there’s no plot, not even a clear main thread throughout its one and a half hour duration. However, in the Sufi language “Baraka” means “the thread that weaves life together”, and that’s as close to an introduction, summary or even meaning as you might get. What you experience when watching suggests a view on the human condition as a whole, seen through the lens of spirituality, but you be the judge of that. There might be more or even something entirely different for you to discover in the flood of impressions. Objectively the film is a collection of breathtaking images, of landscapes, natural phenomena, of people, cultures, performed rites all over the world, branching off to rush hour mayhem filmed in time lapse, South American sweatshops with thousands of workers putting cigarettes together, sorting chicken, you’ll see children begging on the streets, prostitutes waiting for customers, right down to sights of the holocaust and the killing fields of Cambodia.

The material was shot on six continents and 24 countries and while of course filtered and selected through the process of editing, representing no more than a subjective approach, the picture undoubtedly invites to reflect and meditate, also thanks to the ethereal music and sound effects. Some scenes leave deep impressions: Like an Indonesian monk tolling a bell intercut with an African youth jumping in imitation of a gazelle as part of a ritual – to name just one example. It’s almost as if there’s a hidden heartbeat somewhere in all of existence, and here’s someone who at least made it possible to get a glimpse of it.

Postscript: Fricke released another breathtaking documentary in the vein of “Baraka” in 2012, “Samsara” (a Buddhist term signifying “continuous flow”). If you enjoyed “Baraka”, this one of course is a must as well.
(Watch Baraka trailer here and Samsara here) ” – Artimidor

“ Marking the end of an era with a milestone
If there ever was one movie capturing a certain place at a certain time, then it might very well be Peter Bogdanovic’s “The Last Picture Show”. It fulfills the function of a time capsule into times long gone like no other film. Where are we heading? To the fall of 1951, the date is the eve of the Korean war, and the place we plan to stay for a year is the small American town in Western Texas called Anarene. One might call “The Last Picture Show” a coming of age film, but this is true not only for the teens who are becoming men and women, but also for the adults who feel the weight of their past lives, their hopes and dreams and passed opportunities on them. It is the dawn of a new area. Times are achanging for everyone, economically, culturally, socially, in every respect. Things won’t stay the way they have been, and it’s inevitable.

One of Bogdanovic’s very first and best films, “The Last Picture Show” has become an iconic depiction of American small town life rarely achieved again in such perfection. Even the director’s very own continuation of the story made twenty years later cannot even be compared to this cinematic highlight. The film’s forte aside from the strong cast (Ben Johnson, Timothy Bottoms, Jeff Bridges, Cybill Shepherd and others), lies in its melancholy, in sketching the shadows that linger below the surface, in the tragedies buried there, in lives they shape and form, along with the aspirations the characters have. All these things are shown without going over the top and thus turning the picture into a melodramatic, overly nostalgic or sentimental elegy. These elements are all there of course, but the emphasis is different – on the realism of it, which makes us sympathize with the people involved, lets us feel at home for a while. Until the moment arrives when the very last picture is shown in Anarene’s local cinema, a moment where we might be overwhelmed by a feeling of loss we cannot quite explain. Time then to head back in our capsule, endowed with the indisputable knowledge that things will never be the same again. Fortunately – thanks to this film – you can always come back to pay a visit.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ Great actors, great direction, a gem of a romance
David Lean made “Brief Encounter” long before he did epics like “Lawrence of Arabia”, “Doctor Zhivago” or “The Bridge on the River Kwai”. At first glance it might look like a small, rather unimpressive black and white affair compared to such monumental films dealing with a fleeting love affair – well, at least that’s the impression you might have before you’ve actually seen it. To put the record straight: “Brief Encounter” is a gem, a true classic, despite its plot appears to be based on cliché taken from a dime novel.

The tale is rather simple: It deals with a middle aged housewife who is securely married with children and makes the acquaintance of a doctor, whose situation isn’t any different. It’s perfectly clear from the beginning that whatever might develop between these two cannot succeed under the restraints of the society they’re living in, so where can it lead? Well, to a brilliant film, as David Lean explores this forbidden relationship in such a suspenseful and touching way that his great cinematography makes one feel dizzy when reality finally begins to tilt… Of course it’s primarily David Lean who knows how to tell a story (as can also be seen in “Oliver Twist” or “Great Expectations”), but the two leads, Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard, play so well off each other that they make the film work on all levels. High recommendation!
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ The finest hour of actor Bruno S. – stranded like flotsam on a Nurnberg market place
One of the idiosyncrasies of German writer/producer/director Werner Herzog is to use strange characters in almost any movies he makes. He’s most famous for his love/hate relationship with madman Klaus Kinski of course, but he doesn’t shun to use difficult actors and lots of amateurs in general in order to go for an entirely new angle. Such actors lend his films a very grounded look and feel, at the same time such films feature unsettling or even absurd undertones which eventually tend to break out in full. All that quite a distance away from anything you might associate with Hollywood. “Stroszek” is the movie of one such character, written just for him: Bruno S., playing the part of… Bruno.

Herzog used Bruno S. already in “The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser” to play the role of that famous youth who appeared in Nurnberg in 1828 and was kept the whole life in a dungeon, barely able to speak or walk. In many ways the character reflects the actor Bruno S.: An unwanted child of a prostitute, beaten severely at early age, having spent 23 years in mental institutions. Herzog also admits that he was extremely difficult to work with, but Bruno represented exactly what Herzog was looking for to get the perfect “Kaspar Hauser”. With “Stroszek” Herzog made a film tailored even more around Bruno S. Teamed up with another of the director’s favorite amateur actors, Clemens Scheitz, Bruno S. plays himself and his naive struggle with the world around him. Stroszek escapes from Germany to America, but things aren’t any better over there as he eventually finds out. The tides of life leave him stranded all alone like flotsam, mirroring a shot of Kaspar Hauser on the market place of Nurnberg. As an actor, this is Bruno S. finest hour and one of Herzog’s most remarkable entries.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ You were a poet and a painter, William Blake. But now, you’re a killer of white men.
Before the time when Johnny Depp made high-budget movies with mass appeal and decided to follow every step of Tim Burton’s descent into mediocrity, his talent really showed. 1995 independent film-maker Jim Jarmusch put him into what could best be described as an existential Western with lots of typical ingredients of the genre, yet the film refreshingly defies conventions and brings us closer to Native Americans than most traditional entries put together. Accountant William Blake (Depp) is sought for murder with a bullet stuck in his chest and finds himself on the side of the Indian “Nobody” (Gary Farmer), an outsider himself. The latter claims to recognize him, and it is the Indian’s belief that determines the path they take together, uniting them in their spiritual journey…

The differences to traditional Westerns don’t end with the unique plot. The action is limited, the movie is slow, philosophical issues abound, there’s poetry – filmed and literal – and symbols to interpret by the viewer are aplenty. As so often Jarmusch prefers black and white cinematography, a perfect choice for the matter at hand, and Neil Young’s rather modern sounding guitar riffs provide an eerie dramatic contrast to standard Westerns, even to Ennio Morricone’s music in Leone flics. Dismissed by famous critic Roger Ebert pretty much as drivel where he has no clue what Jarmusch wants, “Dead Man” has nevertheless found loads of moviegoers who can connect with it on a personal level and thus elevated the film to a cult classic. No surprise there, really.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ A homage to the person you’ve probably never met
“Rouge”, the conclusion of Kieslowski’s and screenwriter Piesecwicz’s “Three Colors Trilogy”, is a peculiar take on fraternity and friendship. As always with Kieslowski’s works this one is about getting to know and respect the motivations of characters, learn to see the humanity in them, the hopes and aspirations they have or had and made them to what they are. It’s about moral decisions and how what is presented on screen reflects our own lives and makes us reconsider once we’ve left the cinema.

The film portrays the unlikely relationship between a young Swiss model living in Geneva (Irene Jacob) and a grumpy, cynical retired judge (Jean-Louis Trintignant) who don’t seem to have much in common. After all his only enjoyment seems to be eavesdropping on his neighbors’ telephone conversations, while she’s got her own problems with a boyfriend, who doesn’t care as much about her as she does for him. Through a struck of fate the judge and the model are brought together and while keeping a certain distance they learn to understand each other in a unique sort of way. Alas, they’ve missed each other romantically by a generation, as the judge suggests himself, but then again there’s a second story paralleling the main one, and fate is pulling the strings… – or is it?

“Rouge” is definitely the most accessible of Kieslowski’s trilogy, as it is a love story, even though of the very different kind, and thus appeals to a larger audience than the no less brilliant “Bleu” and “Blanc”. Seeing the trilogy in order is not necessary, but rewarding once you get to “Rouge” as one will discover that all these characters actually live in the same universe. Which poses the question: And you?
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ Character vs. talent – a showdown
Among the best character studies you can see on screen undoubtedly has to rank Robert Rossen’s “The Hustler”. The pool played in the film is fascinating, however secondary, as actually it’s all about three characters you get to know up close: the title figure Eddie Felson (Paul Newman) who has his own self-imposed agenda, which is no less than reaching for the stars, then we have the alcoholic off kilter Sarah Packard (Piper Laurie) the anti-hero spends his days and nights with and the sleazy cutthroat manager Bert Gordon (George C. Scott), who’s determined to squeeze every dime out of Eddie whatever it takes. And last but not least there’s the big fish Minnesota Fats (Jackie Gleason) who has to be brought to his knees – but that’s just one side of the story. All of these main characters have exemplary screen presence, weight and intensity, so that the stakes are felt and leave their emotional traces in the viewer. Paul Newman at the time was just hungry to proof himself, and he did, Scott in one of his first films already steals a couple of scenes and would continue to do so constantly in “Patton” and “Dr. Strangelove”, and Laurie is anything else but the sweet love interest. And Jackie Gleason? Can a comedian in such a dramatic role work? You bet!

Shot in black and white the language of the film is social realism which indeed comes across very strongly. Even the central pool hall is not just a set, but the real thing, the bit parts are played by genuine characters themselves, among them the real ex-fighter and later bartender Jake LaMotta (see Robert DeNiro’s characterization in “Raging Bull”). All these details help to get us into the milieu, the thrill of the game, and we become part of the onlookers – it’s almost as if one can smell the smoke-filled room and is tempted to make a bet. And there, in this arena it takes place: the fight between the clashing egos, where we also finally learn about the decisive difference between character and mere talent: Who will win and who will lose? And what is the price?
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ There’s no place like home
Fantasy movies of today are generally escapist extravaganzas of uncompromising pace. They show everything for real what kids once didn’t even dream of imagining – they are graphic, loud and if there’s a morality lesson to be learned from it at all it’s sugar-coated beyond recognition. The musical classic “The Wizard of Oz” is different. Starting off on a farm in Kansas, a plain kind of reality shot in black and white awaits. A genuine surprise move for its time the film then dives into the Technicolor fantasy world of Dorothy’s dream, only to eventually emerge back where we set out – in the reality of life, unchanged in color, but full with experiences gained from the journey enriching what once seemed drab and plain. Thus the “Wizard of Oz” is a coming of age movie that deals with anxieties and how to overcome them – with a bit of brain, heart and courage things are half as frightening as they seem, and we are reassured that even wizards are just plain human.

“The Wizard of Oz” based on the timeless children book classic by L. Frank Baum however is much more than a film only children would enjoy – it’s a treat for all ages. The action and the music are heart-lifting, the film is funny, entertaining, fascinating, the tale’s metaphors are deep enough to appeal to everyone and it still holds up many years after its release back in 1939. Take for instance Roy Bolger’s famous scarecrow dance, Judy Garland singing “Somewhere over the rainbow” and the final scenes with trusted faces and the realization that there’s no place like home, despite all the problems and troubles. Well, sometimes it helps to take the shortcut through fantasy land to get to the real thing. Here’s one way.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ I smoke, I snort. I’ve killed and robbed. I’m a man.
Films about violence there are aplenty. Many of them are purely fictional and are glamorized bloodbaths made for special audiences. Necessary are only a few. For your consideration: Brazilian filmmaker Fernando Meirelles’ “Cidade de Deus” dealing with the eponymous “City of God”. Initially the name of a housing project created by the Brazilian government in the 1960s, the result was abandoned by the authorities after its creation and turned out to be anything but what its name suggests. Taken over by drug lords crime is the way to get by in these favelas. Killings are everyday business, and they happen on the side of the police, on the side of the drug dealers, or among the people in the slums themselves by exchanging their arguments with weapons. Since its creation, children growing up in these areas have learned to be part of the violence – they are on the receiving end and they practice it without questioning. They live to survive.

Meirelles’s film is basically a documentary cloaked as film, based on Paulo Lins’ real life accounts of what he witnessed himself, shot with actors who were picked from the slums. Unashamedly it covers full 20 years and shows all facets of violence that advance the spiral of death and destruction in the favelas. Meirelles uses state of the art cinematography combined with intentionally changing directorial styles in order to follow the various stages of despair and hopelessness. From the days of petty delinquents starting out where anything goes to gangs who commit mass murders, but are inevitably trapped in their doomed existence, Meirelles portrays the vicious circle with brutal honesty. “City of God” is best appreciated in conjunction with the documentary “News from a Personal War” (Lund/Salles) on the subject showing 10 year olds carrying AK-47s and police men who admit that they work in a war zone. Lots of funerals on both sides, no hope in between.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ Much more than just all right with me
Private investigator Philip Marlowe has a major shortcoming – he is easy to push around. Even his cat has his ways with him and sends Marlowe off in the middle of the night to get some cat food. But when he fails miserably, the cat smells a rat, well, sort of. And now that we’ve set the tone: How about a favor for a friend? That’s ok with our hero as well, no need to ask too many questions. Well, big mistake, boy!

When getting into “The Long Goodbye” it helps to know that the version of a Philip Marlowe as Eliott Gould portrays him in Robert Altman’s film is far removed from the original character created by Raymond Chandler in his novel series. It’s a “Rip Van Marlowe” as Altman himself referred to it, a character from the fifties who wakes up in the seventies. Only to tumble into a strange kind of film noir. In color of course. With a coolness bordering on lethargy exhibited by the protagonist, exquisite deadpan humor with dozens of sharp-tongued one-liners and a serious dosage of Altman approach. The latter translates to nothing less than a bold re-invention of a whole genre. The plot is negligible, quite complicated actually to untangle, be it on first or subsequent viewings, but it’s not what this flic is about. All the ingredients of a Chandler noir are still there, but Altman wouldn’t be Altman if he hadn’t some own ideas up his sleeve. He satirizes conventions, plays with them, lets Gould improvise and eventually opts for a different ending which sets everything that happened before in perspective. Also a nice touch: Throughout the movie the film’s title theme – with or without lyrics – is repeated over and over again in variations, making perfectly clear where it’s heading… To conclude: If you love film noir and are appreciative of a fresh take on it I’m sure you’ll welcome the often seriously underrated “The Long Goodbye” with open arms.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ The wind might be gone, but it still steals the thunder
They don’t make pictures like this anymore. There, I’ve said it. And it’s not necessarily a bad thing. The artistic techniques to put a four hour seminal epic like “Gone with the Wind” on screen were quite different and limited back in the days, however the inventiveness to tell a great story and choose the right means was disproportionately higher – and it shows.

The brainchild of powerful producer David O. Selznick, the filmed version of Margaret Mitchell’s best seller does nothing that hasn’t been done before, but everything with utmost perfection and teems with high production values every way you look at it. The list of what “Gone with the Wind” lifts high above other films just goes on and on: There’s of course that great story of the Old South dealing with a generation entangled in the throes of the American Civil War. This however is only the backdrop of one of the greatest romances of all time, which is not presented as sugar-coated, tear-jerking escapism, but as a wild clash of sexes through strong personalities, driven by egotism and vanity, mirroring the downfall of a whole civilization. The narration is shown in lush Technicolor cinematography, at key points composite storybook images are used with layers upon layers of painted images added to the shots in order to exude the required sense of drama and give it a fairy-tale, almost dreamlike quality. Hundreds of costumed extras fight and litter the street of dying men the heroine Scarlett walks through to give just one shining example, Max Steiner’s score is grand and epic, and the cast headed by Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable is legendary as their sensual tension is deep and intensely felt by the viewer. In short: “Gone with the Wind” is a marvel of cinematic brilliance, and more. And to everyone who thinks otherwise: Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ Just a taste of Steinbeck – flawed, but great enough
John Steinbeck’s “The Grapes of Wrath” undoubtedly ranks among the greatest works of American realist literature. It stands as a testament of the Great Depression era where tenant farmers of the dust bowls suffer under drought, then are brutally dispossessed and driven from their Oklahoma homes, forced to find their luck elsewhere. In the end all they have is themselves, as the trip to find the blessed land California demands a heavy toll, is accompanied by tragedies and setbacks and the outlook is bleak in the face of the greed that exploits honest workers to make a buck. John Ford tries the impossible – to go for an authentic rendition of the multilayered, detail packed, all around magnificently written Steinbeck material, and definitely succeeds in delivering an indispensable heart-wrenching film portraying the never ending struggle of the Joads. Any direct comparison between book and film however is moot, enjoy both for what they are. On board in this road movie of the existential kind are Henry Fonda as an ex-convict, John Carradine as a disillusioned preacher and the Oscar winning Jane Darwell as Ma Joad, all first-rate acting with strong support of an array of bit players who help the crude reality take shape. Highly recommendable!

There are downsides, though. For one the two hours of screen time can barely correspond to the epic proportions of the novel. However, the entry is still much more complete than Kazan’s adaption of Steinbeck’s other epic drama “East of Eden”, starring Jimmy Dean, which only shows a fraction of the story. The one real liability however is the diluted ending which was tucked on as a concession to the mass audience while Steinbeck’s epic hits you with full force. Well, if you want the real thing, read the book. With the film you get a pretty good taste of it.
(Watch trailer here ” – Artimidor

A married couple are faced with a difficult decision – to improve the life of their child by moving to another country or to stay in Iran and look after a deteriorating parent who has Alzheimer’s disease. (123 mins.)

“ Fatherland or motherland – a decision
Iranian director Asghar Farhadi’s “A Separation” is a truly remarkable film. It’s more than a picture about two people who want to leave each other, rather it deals with many things that divide people, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing per se – but what divides entails ramifications for either side. On the forefront of course there’s the titular dispute between Nader and Simin, two Iranians. Undoubtedly they love each other, but are filing for divorce – Simin intends to leave the country with her daughter Termeh for the sake of Termeh’s future, but Nader wants to stay in Iran taking care of his father, who suffers from Alzheimer. While his father doesn’t recognize him, his son still does. But is it only a pretext?

Thus the moral conflict between the prospects the west offers and – literally – the fatherland, becomes a central theme from the get-go, yes, but it lingers only in the background until the decision between past and future cannot be avoided. The main part of the film features more dividing situations, tense confrontations and a dramatic incident, all of which highlight fractures in Iranian society: fundamentalist and moderate religion clash, middle class and lower class are played against each other, there’s the constant fight between modernity vs. tradition, and pride often gets in the way. The film is full of nuances that can be picked up by attentive viewers which relate directly to Iranian life, but nevertheless the picture as a whole is more than just the sum of its parts and succeeds in resonating universally. Shot with handheld camera Farhadi’s film looks and feels real, provides intimate insights on both sides of whatever argument you’re looking at and puts the problem right in your hand. What more can you ask from a movie?
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ Stone-face Keaton – generally great
Generally speaking, guys like Buster Keaton don’t exist anymore – and that’s a sad thing. Nowadays comedies mostly rely on in-your-face humor and/or are satisfied with representing an unoriginal copy of what worked somewhere else or when someone else did it. Sit-coms repeat the same formula again and again until even the fans doubt why they are still tuning in. Back in the 1930s however Keaton was one of a kind: Director, writer, actor, stunt man, comedian in personal union, Keaton’s masterpiece is “The General”. A box office disaster, this silent epic was nevertheless his favorite, and deserves the respect it now gets.

Buster Keaton’s forte is that he plays his characters understated, subtle, as everyday men, who are determined however to pursue a personal goal. And of course our hero engineer Johnny Gray and his locomotive get more and more dragged into a maelstrom of events, where the actions he feels he has to do for his own good resonate far and wide, playing a major role in the American Civil War. “The General” is a slapstick feast, its scenes perfectly timed, all the way action packed, sometimes dangerously so – e.g. when Keaton is famously sitting on one of the coupling rods with the train moving, or when he ingeniously gets rid of obstacles in front of the track while moving towards them. The master of course does his own stunts, even doubled for other characters. Well, Keaton sure doesn’t talk much, but as far as comedy is concerned this little stone-face guy is truly king.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ Little birds, if you are living still: Fly, fly far away!
Kenji Mizoguchi’s adaptation of Mori Ogai’s narration “Sansho Dayu” is a real treat for any film lover with a weakness for Eastern cinema and the renditions of Japanese historical drama tales. In the center of the fictitious story however is not the eponymous cruel Sansho the Bailiff, but two children who suffer under the reign of said slavemaster and have to find their passage through adolescence all by themselves, bereft of the guidance of their parents. In a way it’s a coming of age movie, a fable of course as well, extremely strong on the emotional front, morally charged, full of tragedy, pathos, resolve and the power of the human spirit, which reminds us that there’s always the glimmer of hope even though one may be surrounded by the bleakest darkness.

Mizoguchi’s films often appear simple and straightforward, more realistic than fancy on first glance, but they also leave a natural and elegant impression at the same time. What appears to be a contradiction in fact adds an innate mythical quality to these pictures (see also e.g. “Ugetsu Monogatari”), wonderfully brought to light here by Kazuo Miyagawa’s inspired cinematography of “Rashomon” fame. Miyagawa manages to perfectly frame the action and to capture and express the sentiments and the intentions of the characters by simple camera movements or pans, so that with minimalistic means the film achieves the most evocative emotional result. This becomes especially apparent in luminously poetical scenes like the ending, which is on various levels absorbing and engaging, or that famous scene where we become witness of a self-sacrifice – an exquisite visual highlight, where the the text of the original cannot keep up with. In general the script – while staying close to Ogai’s narration – enhances the narration even more at key points, so that the viewer can’t help but feel utter sympathy with the protagonists, and the resolution becomes heartfelt to say the least. In short: Alongside Ozu’s and Kurosawa’s masterpieces Mizoguchi’s “Sansho the Bailiff” is one of the classic Japanese films one definitely should check out.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ Invitation to a dreamy dance of sensuality
Kar Wai Wong’s “In the Mood for Love” could be seen as the Asian version of David Lean’s classic “Brief Encounter”, dealing with the emerging relationships of people married to others, relationships, which should never have happened. But both takes on the same theme bring their own distinctive accentuations and make the films enjoyable for very different reasons. Kar Wai Wong’s movie is a period piece, set in Hong Kong in the 1960s, with a strong emphasis on style, elegance and subtlety. It bears a fascinating auratic – or let’s say for the sake of word play – erotic mix of poetry, nostalgia, melancholy, framed by society conventions and daily routines in which an impossible romance against a backdrop of loneliness is quietly thriving, causing longing, desire, hardship and demanding painful decisions.

“In the Mood for Love” has a couple of artistic touches and cinematic patterns which add considerably to the enjoyment: Kar Wai Wong e.g. intentionally keeps the story of Mrs. Chan and Mr. Chow to themselves. It’s not about their spouses, and all conversations with them are handled with the married partners entirely out of frame. Camera positions, conversations, walking paths in shots are repeated again and again to intensify the every day feeling that permeates lives, only the emotional charge between the romantic protagonists increases. The music (also recurring and only varied) by Michael Galasso and Shigeru Umebayashi, especially Yumeji’s Theme, make up one of the most unforgettable soundtracks you will come across – a dreamy dance of sensuality, as is this exquisitely beautiful film.
(Watch trailer here or this one) ” – Artimidor

“ Existential parable with a vast spectrum of interpretations
Tarkovsky movies aren’t among the easiest films to appreciate instantly. Some argue they feel drawn-out, feature a very typical, hard to decipher imagery, a somewhat detached language, create all in all very inaccessible worlds, at least on first glance. In a way, yes, but once you get in you’ll find that they always deal with essential issues of life and faith, grow on you and offer to explore new perspectives on repeated viewings, eventually leave a lasting impression. Take “Offret” (“The Sacrifice”) for example.

Not only was the movie shot in Sweden, but Tarkovsky also clearly channels Bergman in this one, even uses parts of his crew, which plays well into the themes at stake. But he more than re-hashes “Wild Strawberries”, “The Seventh Seal” or similar Bergman works that deal with death or re-evaluation of one’s life. At any rate it’s Tarkovsky’s last movie and in many ways autobiographical and personal. It is a deep character study and deals with the reflections of an intellectual on his past life, which becomes unhinged at some point – and the changed circumstances demand a final, definite answer. The film is carefully constructed and leads from seemingly casual conversations of a life that is in complete order to something rather different. However, while the path that leads to the conclusion might be there right in front of you on screen, it’s up to the viewer to decide where to draw the line between reality, imagination or dream. The viewer also has it in hand to determine the ultimate reasons why certain things happen: whether an atheist has suddenly become pious in the face of death and God answers, or innermost convictions have surfaced, even if witchcraft is in play or the wheel of life itself just turns once more thanks to the Nietzschean eternal recurrence, a theory a certain postman ascribes to. The spectrum of Tarkovsky’s “Sacrifice” is enormous and the picture is as substantial as the viewer is willing to concede.
(Watch excerpt here) ” – Artimidor

“ Form trumps content in Jeunet’s and Caro’s uncompromising debut
“Delicatessen” marks Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s and Marc Caro’s first film and it hit like a bomb. While despised by some, it even represents the reinvention of French cinema with new means to others, is the pathfinder of a new avant-garde, which would peak with Jeunet’s later “Amelie”. Well, “Delicatessen” for sure is an exalting, one-of-a-kind trip into a fantastic, twisted retro-future reality, a very unique dark comedy, quirky in all places, uncompromising in every respect. Indeed, the creative duo behind the project made exactly what they wanted to do – Jeunet, the guy who started off as a director of TV commercials and Caro, the designer/artist with the eye for the extraordinary out-of-place stuff. What is central in this kind of movie is that form dominates over content – to such an extreme degree at times that the narrative might suffer, but it is all embedded in a constantly turning kaleidoscope of impressions that sweeps the viewer with it. Everything is different, mysterious, weird in this surreal setting of a post-apocalyptic apartment building where a butcher hunts for human meat, where grain replaces money, underground living troglodytes plan a revolution and a retired clown enjoys playing the saw.

“Delicatessen”, while very original, still quotes other movies in a lot of places, and is quoted regularly since its release, clearly showing its impact as a true postmodern phenomenon. Unforgettable are moments like when the whole house suddenly begins to follow a rhythm thanks to noises traveling through its pipes, or when a closer look is necessary at one of the beds to determine a problematic spring. Sounds difficult to imagine why these are classic moments? Well, one needs to see the realization to become a believer. Or learn why to reject it. Because Jeunet movies are as he describes it best himself: Fish, not meat, and you need to be a fish person. At any rate, even if you applaud to Jeunet’s resourcefulness: Enjoy him in doses!
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ Stuff that film noir dreams are made of
John Huston’s take on the “The Maltese Falcon” (1941) was already the third adaptation of Dashiell Hammett’s novel bearing the same title. Paradoxically it was this third attempt that marked the birth of something new: the genre of film noir. Many would follow in its footsteps repeating the same formula, but it was all here already: The expressionistic black-and-white visual style with its emphasis on the contrast between light and shadow, the elaborate scheme with lots of twists and turns, the cool private eye, the femme fatale – and an ending where the hero doesn’t just get the girl and lives happily ever after. The dialogs have edge, are full of irony and black humor, entirely unknown in this capacity in earlier productions. In the center of it all: a certain Humphrey Bogart in his first major role which fits him like a glove, directed by the also debuting John Huston. Starring is furthermore the paradigm of what Hitchcock would call a “MacGuffin”, a plot device created just for the purpose of driving the action: the titular Maltese Falcon.

The film today is often underappreciated – too many movies imitated, built on or considerably improved its creative new approach. Even the unshakeable, cynic sleuth Bogart with the “I do what needs to be done” attitude, the slimy Peter Lorre and the shifty Sydney Greenstreet would play similar roles again and again, and the influence the original had is therefore often overlooked. But make no mistake: The “Falcon” for the first time condensed style, great characterization and an intricate multilayered plot into an entertaining detective mystery, set in a world removed from our own that follows its idiosyncratic dark rules. The elusive “Falcon” still soars today for those who listen to its call – he’s the cinematic pathfinder many others drew from.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ First rate horror, oozing dread and despair
Ridley Scott’s “Alien” has easily advanced to the definitive modern day horror classic by hiding the horror rather than showing it, thus appealing primarily to the viewer’s imagination and omitting in-the-face special effects. The man in a costume, cheesy must-have in all kinds of sci-fi and horror flicks of the fifties and sixties, still serves his purpose in this film, which however has the advantage of being masterfully directed. “Alien” is a perfectly slow paced composition of shadows, noises, musical cues, a film of claustrophobic, tense atmosphere oozing dread and despair, all this creating suspense in the most accomplished Hitchcockian sense: The film provides a scenario where the unknown danger is as unpredictable as it is certain that it does strike.

Aside from its directorial brilliance, “Alien” of course also has one of the most innovative monster designs in movie history to offer (H.R. Giger’s incredibly beautiful otherworldly creature), another excellent Jerry Goldsmith score, exceptionally strong characters and an outstanding female lead in Sigourney Weaver – and last but not least there’s that perfect script, which makes a relatively simple idea into an unforgettable story. Put in three words: First rate horror.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

A pragmatic U.S. Marine observes the dehumanizing effects the Vietnam War has on his fellow Marine recruits from their brutal boot camp training to the bloody street fighting set in 1968 in Hue, Vietnam. (116 mins.)

“ “The Marine Corps wants killers!”
The drill instructor incessantly shouting at his “ladies”: commands, obscenities, insults… Again and again and again… A bathroom scene with that special bullet lending the film its name in the lead role… A crazed gunner in a chopper randomly machine-gunning civilians… An open mass grave, reporters swarming about… A photo-op with a dead… A female sniper on the floor pledging to be shot… – All these are scenes that stick with you from Kubrick’s venture into Vietnam entitled “Full Metal Jacket”, another high quality Kubrick war entry.

“Full Metal Jacket” is not a perfect film, though. The second half, which takes place in Vietnam, is overshadowed by the immensely powerful boot-camp hell of the first hour where Vincent D’Onofrio (as Gomer Pyle) and R. Lee Ermey (the drill instructor) give the performances of their lives. However, this part alone stands head and shoulders above comparable movies of the genre. While the rest is not as spectacularly staged and grabbing as elsewhere, the mentioned moments leave their mark, also thanks to Kubrick’s fast pacing and his effective juxtaposing of war-time brutality and carefree music from the Sixties and Seventies. The contrast of Nancy Sinatra’s “These Boots are made for Walking'” against a shocking full stop in the middle of the film alone makes this movie worth the price of admission.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ The one and only Texan generations saga
Decades before the Ewing oil barons redefined the word “greed” on the TV screens in “Dallas” and half a century before P.T. Anderson dug even deeper in “There Will Be Blood” there was George Stevens’ “Giant”. The epic saga clocks in at over 200 minutes, and there’s of course the mentioned oil drama, where people get rich and drown in their greed, but this is just one of the many facets of Edna Ferber’s rich novel, and all of them made it to the screen in this multi-layered gem. “Giant” also offers a lot of social commentary on dubious morals, racism and tolerance, it shows men being men and women standing up, it’s about national and personal pride and generations growing up and learning to live with each other despite their apparent differences. It had something to say back then, and still has today.

On the side of such calibers like Rock Hudson and Liz Taylor “Giant” furthermore features James Dean in his very last performance, as a young cowboy first and then as the embittered aged millionaire, whose money cannot buy everything. The cast, among them as well Rod Taylor and the young Dennis Hopper, add authenticity, which becomes perfected due to the characters’ period costumes, the strong accent, alongside the magnificently shot Texas scenery, and an art direction that really sets you right into a story of epic proportions spanning several decades. Characters grow up, live, and change over the years, and we get the chance to observe them in just three hours. Granted, “Giant” has a few cheesy moments here and there and it walks a fine line between soap opera and monumental depth, but then again: This is Texas in all its glory, and George Stevens paid tribute to that visually and by portraying characters deeply rooted in the soil they came from. And by raising necessary issues about Texas – past and future.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ A lesson on how to go down with style
Jean-Pierre Melville doesn’t need a lot of words. Aside from an occasional jazzy score not even a lot of music is required to enhance what is seen on screen – and that’s engaging enough if the writer/director succeeds in setting the viewer in the proper mood. Melville’s French nouvelle vague re-invention of the gangster genre relies solely on building suspense with following his protagonists around in long takes one after the other, piquing our interest in the characters, their motivations, their goals, and while their backgrounds stay mysterious there’s always a surprise in store up ahead. The plot is much more straightforward than in other Melville thrillers like “Le Doulos” or “Bob Le Flambeur”, but “Le Cercle Rouge’s” big forte is to highlight all the different angles of the four key players: The suave aristocratic jewel thief (Alain Delon), who defines the term “cool”, the murderer and escaped ex-convict (Gian Maria Volonté), the former police sharpshooter with an alcohol problem (Yves Montand) and finally the police superintendent (Bourvil in a surprisingly un-comedic role) on the other side of the law. The paths of the criminals cross in order to carry out an elaborate heist, but in fact they are just moving closer together to find themselves in the inevitable red circle, where the fatalistic conclusion awaits.

What sets “Un Cercle Rouge” apart from other entries of the genre is that we are engulfed with a uniquely elegant French-American flair that surrounds the Parisian dark alleys, where a perfect crime feels chic – if one can only get away with it. Indeed it is mainly a question of style what keeps us on the edge of our seats, and for those who enjoy the aesthetics of film this cinematic composition as a whole surpasses many of the works of Melville’s Hollywood idols he tried to imitate and endow with a French twist. Highly enjoyable!
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ About things in front and in the back
Loosely translated “Yi Yi” means “one and one”, and as we all know this makes two. By using the same pictograph that represents one to represent two (by simply repeating it) a link is established and we’ve learned something which isn’t only of mathematical value: Individuals are never alone. They are born into a family, live with each other in communities and exert an influence. All have to deal with the same situations in life, only from different view points and at different ages, whether it is about growing up, first and later love, marriage, providing for the family, sickness, age or death. We make our choices and choices make us what we are, but it are the others which help us to see what we never would be able to. Eight year old photographer-“philosopher” Yang-Yang has a point in this regard when he shoots pictures showing only the back of persons’ heads…

Sure, Edward Yang’s “Yi Yi” is also a portrait of the clash of modernization with traditional Chinese values in a Taiwanese family, but foremost it presents us multiple layers of three generations of one family and how everyone copes with it, and that is something universal to take away from it. In many ways one finds one’s self reminded of the great Japanese filmmaker Ozu – life takes center stage, no need to make a movie that is literally more than life. Long and slow paced, “Yi Yi” takes its time to let the viewer get to know the characters and follow the diverse paths each one of them takes in the midst of their daily routines. After a while one becomes almost part of the family and enjoys how the mosaic of pieces fits together, even though everything is far from perfect. The film depicts family life in a subtle and understated way, it’s an empathetic, humane piece of screen poetry, call it a contemporary Ozu if you like. Indeed, Yang’s camera helps us see what we might never be be able to capture otherwise. Like little Yang-Yang. With that camera. Yang-Yang, which is Yang repeated, right?
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ The heart and the mind – what an enigma…
Ever since “The Kid” the British born Charles Chaplin had been a monument of American silent film making. Despite his refusal to concede to the inevitable wind of change in the business he stubbornly continued to make silents in the time of sound. But he finally had to say farewell to the little tramp – only to resurrect another version of him in the essential and daring satire “The Great Dictator”. With it Chaplin arrived in the new area, safe and with sound, genius undiminished. “Limelight”, made years later in 1952, however marks a crossroads for Chaplin and practically forestalls his swansong. Similar to his “Dictator” he was ahead of his time when he made the picture as it was the last film he managed to produce in the US before he became an unwanted person under the suspicion of supporting un-American intentions…

“Limelight” in many ways tells Chaplin’s own story about a former vaudeville star now on the path of decline, where the full weight of reality catches up with him. It’s a melancholic film about the clown Calvero’s struggle, but also one of hope and inspiration when he rescues a suicidal ballet dancer and helps her to regain new courage to face life despite he himself is in a downward spiral. But things are not as simply cut as they seem and triumph and tragedy are closely linked… Together with Chaplin stars an impressive Claire Bloom as the girl saved by Calvero, Nigel “Dr. Watson” Bruce as the impresario harking back to his days as Sherlock Holmes assistant, Chaplin’s own son Sydney and last but not least the great former rival and by now completely broke Buster Keaton. The latter in a minor, but pivotal, crucially transcending role as assistant on the side of the great clown. All those autobiographical references are evident and become even stronger when we know that recognition for this masterpiece came only more than 20 years after the release of the film in Europe in form of an US Academy Oscar for best score, which – of course – Chaplin co-wrote. To speak with Calavero’s own words: “Limelight” is a story about “the enigma of the heart and the mind”… As was Chaplin: a restlessly creative enigma with heart and mind.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ Between the love and hate of God
When it was suggested to Milos Forman to make a film about Mozart, one of the most famous classical composers, he was, well, reluctant. A period biopic with wigs and music of the 18th century didn’t seem to be the right choice for him nor for a larger audience. Only when he saw Peter Shaffer’s play, a highly fictionalized account of the rivalry of Mozart and the Viennese court composer Antonio Salieri, he immediately understood its potential – and turned it into a masterpiece. Strangely enough, the period biopic with wigs and decades old music became a box office hit as well…

The reasons why “Amadeus” succeeds, simply put: Shaffer knows how to write a dramatic story and Forman how to film it. The inaccuracies are easily forgiven and we soon accept Mozart as the ingenious but always broke goofball and Salieri as the scheming man in the background, driven by his simmering jealousy. Both of the leads, F. Murray Abraham as Salieri and Tom Hulce as Mozart, portray their characters with dedication, passion and unrelenting fervour when the script demands it – after “Amadeus” they will always be remembered for those two roles. But a perfect production is more than the cast: Mozart’s music of course stars prominently in the picture, placed in highly effective conjunction with cinematographic delicacies Forman serves one after the other sculpting Mozart’s fragmented life into a magical whole. While plentifully used the composer’s pieces are never repeated thematically, so that the viewer really gets a glimpse into the complete array of the genius’ mind, into the playfulness, the love for his craft, the commitment he exudes, all assets on which his secret opponent eventually will break. “Amadeus” might be a biopic paired with wild speculation, but it is highly dramatic yet entertaining, elevating and tragic. And high art – cinematographically, story-wise and musically divine.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ Two beginnings, one middle of the film – and the meaning of life revealed!
Monty Python’s last film is often also considered their weakest entry, put together as a last resort on a joint vacation when all other ideas failed. Sure, unlike “Holy Grail” and “Life of Brian”, “The Meaning of Life” consists mostly of separate sketches and is closer to the “Flying Circus”, but the theme of life’s progress keeps it all together. The Pythons and their incomparable humor are the constants, only the situations change.

It has to be said that there are some strong borderline scenes in this movie, but it wouldn’t be Monty Python if they didn’t go for something completely different. And of course some controversy has to be expected given the territory. Standouts are some of the best songs the Pythons ever put together, among them the “Galaxy Song”, the superbly choreographed “Every Sperm is Sacred” and the “Meaning of Life”. Aside from the absurdly fantastic Python fun formula there’s also the remarkable debut of Terry Gilliam as a main director of the film in the film, which starts and later invades the main feature. That treat alone is already worth the price of admission. Besides, this is a picture with two beginnings, one explicit middle of the film and an ending, which reveals the meaning of life – now top that!
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

A family heads to an isolated hotel for the winter where an evil and spiritual presence influences the father into violence, while his psychic son sees horrific forebodings from the past and of the future.

“ Every genre has its Kubrick
Apparently there’s no genre Kubrick cannot ace. Be it sci-fi, historical drama, political satire, war movie, film noir, erotic mystery thriller, or – as in this case – horror. “The Shining” undoubtedly has a very firm Kubrick stamp on it and made Stephen King’s material entirely his own, a fact that King didn’t particularly like and thus had it remade for TV years later. While the TV version has some merits and follows the book more closely, the way it is it will always be compared to a master film maker’s take on the material King provided and therefore doesn’t stand a chance. As what Kubrick’s “The Shining” offers is Stephen King plus the necessary extra to make it legendary horror cinema.

“The Shining” shines most of all because of Jack Nicholson’s tour de force performance. He plays the protagonist Jack Torrance chillingly real, making his inevitable descent into madness in the deserted haunted winter resort a frightening experience to observe. The traditional horror clichés are all there of course: stimulation of imagination, the ghostly apparitions lurking in the corners, the air of eeriness and anticipation that permeates the place, the constantly widening shadow of a deadly menace. What makes it different is the director who knows his craft, uses effective POVs in intimate scary moments, long shots to add to the felt isolation and dehumanization, convex lenses to enhance surreal qualities, so that the master’s handwriting shows in every action. Undoubtedly creating a unique horror picture is difficult. But well, fortunately every genre has it’s Kubrick!
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

A mentally unstable Vietnam war veteran works as a nighttime taxi driver in New York City where the perceived decadence and sleaze feeds his urge to violently lash out, attempting to save a teenage prostitute in the process. (113 mins.)

“ Existentialistic abyss in downtown New York
“Taxi Driver” is the classic picture that put the combination Scorsese plus DeNiro and as an extra Jodie Foster seriously on the map – all in one go. Supported by Harvey Keitel, Cybill Shepherd, Peter Boyle and accompanied by one of the last of Bernhard Hermann’s brilliant scores the movie struck a nerve in the audience of the Seventies and paved the way for more explicit violence to come to the silver screen in the following decades. Which is not a good thing in itself, but an inevitability with “Taxi Driver” at the forefront. However, the outstanding performance of DeNiro and the painstaking perfectionism of Scorcese’s direction make a psychotic taxi driver’s prowling through New York’s underground on the edge of reality absolutely worthwhile.

According to screenwriter Paul Schrader his script was influenced by French existentialism, particularly its primary representatives Sartre and Camus. Indeed, the plot of Camus’ novel “L’Etranger” (“The Outsider”) parallels the movie in key points – loneliness, isolation and estrangement of the protagonist are enforced by the absurdity of the world around the protagonist and lead to a deadly outcome. The alienation Camus defined as an existential category, Schrader transfers to the urban jungle of NY. While hinting at a Vietnam trauma taxi driver Travis Bickle might be suffering from, this background is never actually explored, thus providing ample opportunity for the viewer to connect with the character. As such “Taxi Driver” is more than a movie about a madman. It is a thought-provoking and dangerous look into the abyss that lurks beneath skyscrapers and into our souls, a place where only we ourselves can answer.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ We lay my love and I, beneath the weeping willow…
Ghost stories that are made into quality movies are few and far between. And if the unlikely happens they often tend to fall between the cracks as viewers expect horror shockers, spectacular monster flicks or supernatural encounters of the CGI kind. This was also the fate of “The Innocents” when it had to compete against the emerging Hammer gore in 1961, which was less brainy, more action-packed and featured blood that was really red. All things which the slow paced creepy picture of Jack Clayton with its black and white cinematography, the ever present ambiguities and subliminal psychological aspects lacks. All things however which make the film so very special.

“The Innocents” is an adaptation of Henry James’ famous novella “The Turn Of The Screw” and takes place in a manor in Victorian England, the perfect scene for some decent haunting. As is genre standard Governess Miss Giddens’s (Deborah Kerr’s) task of raising two orphan children more and more turns into a nightmare when she senses that the children must be possessed by decadent ghosts – or are they? Kerr is absolutely convincing in her role, but so are the other three main characters, and it’s all about characters and their innocence. Among Clayton’s most effective tools are dissolves and superimpositions to weave a web of atmospheric mystery, and the viewer can never be sure about the true nature of what’s going on. Suffice to say, it’s much more than just a ghost story, there’s more than meets the eye, but judge yourself – and don’t complain about goosebumps when you are sitting in total darkness and find yourself listening to a catchy haunting tune, which plunges you right in…
(Watch a trailer, which however misses the point) ” – Artimidor

“ They’ve cut the cheese and made it pastel black!
Rob “When Harry Met Sally” Reiner made this rockumentary back in 1984 when the idea to film a fictitious band’s struggle with reality (their own included) was still pretty fresh. The feat was done several times after that, but there are reasons why “Spinal Tap” still has survived them all. One of them is: It’s downright hilarious, and another: The music is great. Plus: It’s louder, one louder! Yep, that’s because they have amplifiers that go up to eleven!

Played straight, a lot of it improvised, yet definitely not entirely invented, Reiner and company go for laughs which seem to be inherent in the music business they portray: Get ready for drummer combustion, bizarre deadly gardening accidents, sleek, pastel black covers, big bottoms and grave songs, then there’s Artie Fufkin from Polymer Records, serious snack problems, managing wives, Artie Fufkin, Polymer Records, guitars you better not look at, well, it’s all there. Even the literally cheesy trailer. Plus Artie Fufkin. From Polymer Records – have I mentioned that one?

“Spinal Tap” is full of inside jokes and therefore repeated viewings pay off. That’s why it’s more than just fancy comedy, as it has its feet on the ground and knows what to spoof. And how. Classic.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ A cog among cogs – but the little Tramp has the final word
Chaplin’s “Modern Times” is exceptional for several reasons. With it one of the most well-known characters in cinema history, the beloved little Tramp, bids his farewell as the time of silents had definitely ended in 1935. Yet despite the odds are against him and his girl (played by his wife at the time, the gorgeous, cheeky Paulette Goddard), the Tramp’s departure doesn’t end on a sad note. Rather the both of them set out to greet the dawn, smiling in a heart-warming finale…

But “Modern Times” is also a film that addresses the dehumanizing aspects the rationalization of labor brings to the modern employee, where the sheep flock into the factories only to become cogs among cogs in a machinery which eats them up. You can take that quite literally in a Chaplin film. And to this day the poignancy of Chaplin’s ingenious take on the consequences of industrialization which he fights against as the black sheep are as valid as they were when the film was made. And as funny – after all it’s perfectionist Charlie Chaplin who is at work here, who wrote, directed, composed music for and starred in his film. See him tighten screws at the conveyer belt and everywhere else he is not supposed to, head a communist movement, sink a ship, roller-skate with a blindfold, being fed by a new invention, or cause chaos in a magnificent set piece that could have been taken right out of “Metropolis”. Oh, and then there’s of course that famous one and only scene when the little Tramp finally does open his mouth and, well, he surprises once more as you may discover. The language of the little Tramp is universal, you know, regardless of culture, color or age…
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ Life is a state of mind
The maid Louise describes the main character of this most unusual film as “stuffed with rice pudding between his ears”. He can’t read or write and is “short-changed by the Lord and dumb as a jackass”. His window to the world is the TV, which he enjoys to imitate, other than that he is nothing more than a walking mirror: flat, reflecting what everybody wants to see in him, talking back what they want to hear. The gardener Chance – or, as some who misheard like to call him, Chancey Gardiner – is just there, in suit and tie, an empty mind, alas, sans garden. But being there is enough if you’re in the right place and actually are as shallow as others consider you profound. Filmed right Jerzy Kosinski’s engaging novel makes the perfect mix for a highly intelligent, though intentionally slow comedy for those who like to have it the more thoughtful way. The film benefits greatly from Peter Seller’s complete immersion in the straightness of his character, which is arguably his best role. And Eumir Deodato’s version of Strauss’ “Also Sprach Zarathustra” as he steps out of the house for the first time in years is nearly as striking as when Kubrick opened “2001” with the original.

Unforgettable is the superb ending, which breaks out of the comedic back and forth and goes a decisive, daring step further. It reminds me of another king of comedy, Bill Cosby, and the joke in his stand-up routine where he relates that he wasn’t quite sure about his name when he was little. Quite often his parents used to shout out when they saw him: “Jesus Christ!” In the same innocent way our gardener Chance appears to the viewer as the savior himself when the movie ends and when we can still hear the film’s final message ringing in our ears: “Life is a state of mind.” Well, and ignorance is bliss.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ Italian beauty with a message
In “Malèna” Giuseppe Tornatore mixes a lot of his own memories of war time Sicily à la Fellini’s “Amarcord” and combines them with adolescent curiosity à la Truffaut’s short “Les Mistons”, all centering on the radiant and enchanting beauty of the title character played by Monica Bellucci. “Malèna” however is much more than just a celebration of Bellucci’s sinuous body, which on the other hand admittedly is most effectively used when photographed by a capable director. But “Malèna” has other things to offer as well. For one it is an exquisite coming of age portrait, masterfully narrated and shot, marvelously scored by Ennio Morricone, in many ways a companion piece to Tornatore’s better known and critically acclaimed “Cinema Paradiso”. It’s also nostalgic, endearing, funny, touching, daring at times, erotic is a given, yet beautiful and innocent, but then also tragic, sad and even unexpectedly shocking – the film is a symphony of all those emotions brought together through two very strong characters, the boy and the desired woman. Not to be neglected is the often overlooked allegorical aspect very prevalent in “Malèna”: The action takes place with WW II as backdrop, where motherland Italy prostitutes herself for Hitler and becomes a mere satellite of Nazi Germany, with the once virginal beauty being brutally ravished. How fast things can change…

Finally, a warning: The film’s international release version was cut by no less than 17 minutes, reducing many of the scenes laden with enticing sensuality – which represent the core of the movie – to an absolute minimum. While the film miraculously still works that way, the experience of course is far less intense. If you can, see the original.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ Courageous and brilliant film about the defining moments of resistance
There are quite a few films on the French Resistance working against the Nazi Regime out there, many of them celebrate the heroism of those people. If you add to the secret fight for the good cause a few dramatic and/or tragic elements the viewer most likely gets a nice, decent, very moving anti-war movie. At least that’s the expectation. “Army of Shadows” however is different. Directed by Jean-Pierre Melville this entry to the French Resistance movies focuses on hard decisions members of the Resistance have to make, decisions, on which their own lives depend, but also the lives of others who are associated with their endeavor, and those of very close friends. Melville, who once was part of the Resistance movement himself, doesn’t have his camera’s eye on heroic acts primarily, as the reality of working in the underground is too harsh to think beyond surviving under dire circumstances. Instead he addresses the unpleasant, yet unavoidable, maybe even shockingly blunt moments within a cell of the Resistance. All of these moments are defining ones, often inevitably dictated by rationality rather than emotion. The organization of secrecy demands risk and courage in the face of the enemy, but it’s a constant balancing act between passion and brutal calculation, where the cause is greater than the people involved. At times it seems that the actions required are even perverting the common goal, and Melville is right there to show these moral conflicts. Heroism comes later, once the film is over. Or at least not before the end credits roll.
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

“ Viennese film noir bliss
British director Carol Reed couldn’t have made a more perfect choice for his film noir taking place in post-war Vienna than to hire local entertainer Anton Karas to compose a zither score for it. The unique theme climbed the charts worldwide and has become an instant evergreen, common even to those who have never ever seen the film itself. Yet the score is only one among many things that make “The Third Man” essential viewing. While the music makes the picture distinctly Austrian, it was also shot entirely on location, complete with land marks, bombed out buildings, the vast Viennese cemetery and its sewer system. Even famous Austrian actors got bits parts and added to the general look and feel. This is what post-war Vienna was all about.

The screenplay, written superbly by Graham Greene, is pure gold. It entraps the viewer in a web of black-market treachery, intrigue and deception narrated by the traditional film noir voice-over and feels like a detective story that eventually reaches existential depth. The action takes place in a divided country where the future is uncertain and anything goes to make a buck if you just do it right and aren’t caught, and that’s exactly what happens. The acting by Cotton, Welles, Howard and Valli leaves nothing to be desired, also the picture features one of the most legendary entrances of a character in movie history… The cinematography is a first rate lesson in style with all its tilted angles, beautiful lighting, shadows creeping along the walls, rarely seen in such impeccable mis-en-scene. Just consider the famous last shot of the film showing a character walking out of screen: It lasts nearly one and a half minutes and deftly condenses the whole drama that has taken place until then in a poignant visual convergence, the icing on film noir bliss. Well, and there’s always that music. That incomparable, melancholic, bizarre, yet wonderful catchy music that will ring in your ears for quite a while…
(Watch trailer here) ” – Artimidor

A French boarding school run by priests seems to be a haven from World War II until a new student arrives. He becomes the roommate of top student in his class. Rivals at first, the roommates form a bond and share a secret. (104 mins.)

A look at what goes on backstage during the last broadcast of America’s most celebrated radio show, where singing cowboys Dusty and Lefty, a country music siren, and a host of others hold court. (105 mins.)

Two men from opposite sides of the law are undercover within the Massachusetts State Police and the Irish mafia, but violence and bloodshed boil when discoveries are made, and the moles are dispatched to find out their enemy’s identities. (151 mins.)

A mute woman along with her young daughter, and her prized piano, are sent to 1850s New Zealand for an arranged marriage to a wealthy landowner, and she’s soon lusted after by a local worker on the plantation. (121 mins.)

A Victorian surgeon rescues a heavily disfigured man who is mistreated while scraping a living as a side-show freak. Behind his monstrous facade, there is revealed a person of intelligence and sensitivity. (124 mins.)

A drama centered on the friendship between two young women who grew up in the same orphanage; one has found refuge at a convent in Romania and refuses to leave with her friend, who now lives in Germany. (150 mins.)

Two friends are searching for their long lost companion. They revisit their college days and recall the memories of their friend who inspired them to think differently, even as the rest of the world called them “idiots”. (170 mins.)

After local youth Abdel is beaten unconscious by police, a riot ensues on his estate during which a policeman loses his gun. The gun is found by Vinz who threatens he will kill a cop if Abdel dies. (98 mins.)

A retired legal counselor writes a novel hoping to find closure for one of his past unresolved homicide cases and for his unreciprocated love with his superior – both of which still haunt him decades later. (129 mins.)

In the middle of her family’s move to the suburbs, a sullen 10-year-old girl wanders into a world ruled by gods, witches, and monsters; where humans are changed into animals; and a bathhouse for these creatures. (125 mins.)

Alejandro, a tough and ambitious street orphan on the verge of adolescence, lives and works in an auto-body repair shop in a sprawling junkyard on the outskirts of Queens, New York. In this chaotic world of adults, young Alejandro struggles to make a better life for himself and his 16-year-old sister. (84 mins.)

What’s the worst thing that can happen to a movie character? Shot, stabbed, beaten, tortured? How about exiled, chased, shot, impaled, betrayed, sacked, savaged by a pitbull, involved in a tractor crash, chucked off a cliff and forced to hide under six feet of human shit?

Luckily, it couldn’t happen to a more deserving guy. Director Morten Tyldum’s juggernaut thriller, based on Norwegian author Jo Nesbø’s bestselling novel, stems from a simple but hugely satisfying idea: serve up an eminently hissable central character, in this case part-time art thief and full-time corporate douchebag Roger (Aksel Hennie, who looks like the love child of Steve Buscemi and Rupert Grint). Then sit back and smile as he tangles with the wrong folks and is subjected to the most humiliating indignities this smart, streamlined script can invent.

When we meet Roger, he’s happily married to a gorgeous woman (Synnøve Macody Lund), having a fling on the side and preparing to help himself to the priceless Munch lithograph owned by high-flying Swedish executive and former elite soldier Clas Greve (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau). Of course, we know it’s all a ploy – that Greve is luring Roger in for his own devious reasons, and that things are about to go horribly wrong – but it’s how Nesbø and Tyldum spring the trap that’s so enjoyable to watch.

It’s a timely film, too: while Nesbø and Tyldum’s prime directive is to give their audience a good bracing shake, they also find time to throw in a few witty, thoughtful asides about personal responsibility and the ways in which the relentless pursuit of wealth conflict with the achievement of true happiness. Bankers and business types may prickle at their blanket portrayal as greedy, self-serving misanthropes, but it serves to slot the film neatly within the current anti-capitalist zeitgeist.

But none of this would matter a jot if Tyldum didn’t have such a firm grasp of his material. The plot moves like a rocket, the despicable characters are marvellously sketched, and if ‘Headhunters’ is not always entirely convincing (a few twists take a bit of swallowing), it’s always deliriously entertaining. Anyone tired of the surly, leather-jacketed seriousness of the ‘Millennium’ trilogy and looking for more spark and spice in their Scandinavian crime sagas need seek no further. Pure joy.

Born in Sydney of English parentage, and the youngest of five children, Jackman has a communications degree with a journalism major from the University of Technology Sydney. After graduating, he pursued drama at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, immediately after which he was offered a starring role in the ABC-TV prison drama Correlli…

Ask Kate Winslet what she liked about any of her characters, and the word “ballsy” is bound to pop up at least once. The British actress has made a point of eschewing straightforward pretty-girl parts in favor of more devilish damsels; as a result, she’s built an eclectic resume; that runs the gamut from Shakespearean tragedy to modern-day mysticism and erotica…

Angelina Jolie is an Oscar-winning actress who has become popular by taking on the title role in the “Lara Croft” series of blockbuster movies. Off-screen, Jolie has become prominently involved in international charity projects, especially those involving refugees. She often appears on many “most beautiful women” lists…

An actor and producer known as much for his versatility as he is for his handsome face, Golden Globe-winning actor Brad Pitt’s most widely-recognized role may be Tyler Durden in Fight Club. But his portrayals of Billy Beane in Moneyball, and Rusty Ryan in the remake of _Ocean’s Eleven (2001)_ and its sequels, also loom large in his filmography…

“ The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford ” – yogessegoy

Known outside her native country as the “Spanish enchantress”, Penélope Cruz Sánchez was born in Madrid to Eduardo (a retailer) and Encarna (a hairdresser). As a toddler, she was already a compulsive performer, re-enacting TV commercials for her family’s amusement, but she decided to focus her energies on dance…

The amazing Salma Hayek was born on September 2, 1966, in the oil boomtown of Coatzacoalcos, Mexico. Hayek has freely admitted that she and her brother, Sami, were spoiled rotten by her well-to-do Lebanese-Mexican businessman father and her Mexican-born opera-singing mother. After having seen Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory in a local movie theatre…

Pierce Brosnan was born in Navan, County Meath, Ireland and lived in Navan, County Meath until he moved to England, UK at an early age (thus explaining his ability to play men from both backgrounds convincingly). His father left the household when Pierce was a child and although reunited later in life…

Angelina Jolie is an Oscar-winning actress who has become popular by taking on the title role in the “Lara Croft” series of blockbuster movies. Off-screen, Jolie has become prominently involved in international charity projects, especially those involving refugees. She often appears on many “most beautiful women” lists…

Dwayne Douglas Johnson was born in Hayward, California on May 2nd 1972 to Rocky Johnson and Ata Johnson. While growing up, Dwayne traveled around a lot with his parents and watched his father perform in the ring. During his high school years, Dwayne began playing football and he soon received a full scholarship from the University of Miami where he had tremendous success as a football player…

Eva Green was born Eva Gaëlle Green on July 5, 1980, in Paris, France. She has a non-identical twin sister. Her father, named Walter Green, is a Swedish dentist who once appeared in the 1966 film Au Hasard Balthazar. Her mother, named Marlène Jobert, is an Algerian-born (during the time Algeria was part of France) French actress who retired from acting and became a writer of children’s books…

Born in Manhattan, New York, on April 4, 1965, Robert Downey Jr. made his debut as an actor at the age of five in the filmPound, written and directed by his father, Robert Downey Sr., and since that early role, Robert Downey Jr. has amassed an enviable list of credits and honors throughout a four-decades-plus career that shows no signs of slowing…

Natalie Portman was born in Jerusalem, to a Jewish family. She is the only child of a doctor father (from Israel) and an artist mother (from Cincinnati, Ohio), who also acts as Natalie’s agent. She left Israel for Washington, D.C., when she was still very young. After a few more moves, her family finally settled in New York…

Few actors in the world have had a career quite as diverse as Leonardo DiCaprio’s. DiCaprio has gone from relatively humble beginnings, as a supporting cast member of the sitcom Growing Pains and low budget horror movies, such as Critters 3, to a major teenage heartthrob in the 1990s, as the hunky lead actor in movies such as Romeo + Juliet and Titanic…

Born into a traditional south Indian family, Aishwarya started modeling at a young age. This green-blue-eyed beauty appeared in advertisements for many prestigious firms; the ones that brought her into the limelight were the garden sari and the Pepsi ad. Crowned Miss India 1994 runner-up, she was a hot favorite in the run for miss world title…

Amanda Seyfried grew up in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and began modeling when she was 11-years-old. She acted in high school productions as well as taking singing lessons, and landed a recurring role in the long-running US soap, As the World Turns, when she was just age 15. More soap work followed as she…

Alicia Christian Foster was born in Los Angeles. Her parents divorced three years before she was born, and she was conceived when her mother, Brandy, was visiting her father, Lucius, for child support. Alicia’s siblings nicknamed her “Jodie,” a name she has used in her profession. When she was just three years old…

Daniel Michael Blake Day-Lewis was born in London, England, the second child of Cecil Day-Lewis (aka Nicholas Blake) (Poet Laureate of England) and his second wife, Jill Balcon. His maternal grandfather was Sir Michael Balcon, an important figure in the history of British cinema, head of the famous Ealing Studios…

Born on August 9, 1976 in Beaumont, France, Audrey showed an interest for comedy at an early age and started her acting lessons at `Cours Florent’. In 1998 she won the best young actress award in the ninth `Jeune Comedien de Cinema Festival’ in Bezier. Then, she came to the attention of Tonie Marshallwho gave her a role in her film Venus Beauty Institute for which she won a Best New Actress Cesar…

Laura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon was born on March 22, 1976 at Southern Baptist Hospital (now Memorial Medical Center) in New Orleans, Louisiana. She was the second child born to Dr. John Witherspoon and Betty Reese. Her father was a military surgeon specializing in the ear, nose and throat. Her mother was a Registered Nurse who later became a Ph.D in pediatric nursing…

Matthew Paige Damon, or better known to fans as Matt Damon was born in Boston Massachusetts, USA to Kent Damon, a stockbroker, Realtor and tax preparer, and Nancy Carlsson-Paige, an early childhood education professor at Lesley University. Matt has an older brother named Kyle who is now a sculptor. Unfortunately for Matt and his brother, their parents divorced in the year 1973…

Rose was born in Sydney, Australia. She landed her first role in a movie, Dallas Doll, when she was 15 years old. Since then, Rose has appeared in a variety of Australian televisions shows including Heartbreak High, Echo Point, and the film Two Handsalongside Heath Ledger. After this…

Colin Farrell is one of Ireland’s best rising stars in Hollywood and abroad today. His film presence has been filled with memorable roles that range from an inwardly tortured hit man, to an adventurous explorer, a determined-but-failing writer, and the greatest military leader in history. Farrell was born on May 31…

Charlize Theron grew up on a farm outside Benoni, South Africa, as the only child. She got an education as a ballet dancer and has danced both the “Swan Lake” and “The Nutcracker”. There wasn’t much for a young actress or dancer to do in South Africa, so she soon traveled to Europe and United States of America…

Britney Jean Spears was born in McComb (Mississippi) and raised in rural Louisiana (Kentwood) to Jamie Spears and Lynne Spears. As a child, Britney attended dance classes, and she was great at gymnastics, winning many competitions and the like. But, most of all, Britney loved to sing. At age 8…

Marion Cotillard, who won the Best Actress Academy Award for her role as Édith Piaf in La vie en rose (retitled “La Vie en Rose” in the United States), is the second actress to win an acting Oscar performing in a language other than English next toSophia Loren who won for Two Women….

Olga Kurylenko, a Ukrainian-born actress and model, went from sharing a cramped flat with her aunt, uncle, grandparents and cousin to starring as a Bond girl opposite Daniel Craig. She was born Olga Konstantinovna Kurylenko on November 14, 1979, in Berdyansk, Ukraine, Soviet Union. Her mother, Marina Alyabysheva…

Diane Kruger was born Diane Heidkrüger in Algermissen, near Hildesheim, Germany. She studied ballet with the Royal Ballet in London before an injury ended her career. She returned to Germany and became a top fashion model. She later pursued acting and relocated to Paris at the suggestion of filmmaker Luc Besson (The Fifth Element)…

Charming, free-spirited and – above all – talented, Drew Barrymore has come a long way since her big-screen breakout inSteven Spielberg‘s beloved sci-fi blockbuster, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. Despite a troubled and much-publicized adolescence during which she appeared in only a handful of films, Barrymore’s star was officially on the rise during the mid-1990s with notable appearances in Poison Ivy…

Sam Worthington was born on August 2, 1976 in Surrey, England. His parents, Jeanne and Ronald Worthington, moved the family to Australia when he was six months old, and raised he and his sister Lucinda in Warnbo, a suburb of Rockingham. Worthington graduated from NIDA (Australia’s National Institute of Dramatic Art) in 1998 at the age of 22…

Antonio Banderas, one of Spain’s most famous faces who was a soccer player until he broke his foot at age 14, is now an international film star best known as Zorro in the eponymous film series. He was born José Antonio Domínguez Banderas on August 10, 1960, in Málaga, Andalusia, Spain. His father, Jose Dominguez…

Sigourney Weaver was born Susan Alexandra Weaver in Leroy Hospital in New York City. Her father, TV producer Sylvester L. Weaver Jr., originally wanted to name her Flavia, because of his passion for Roman history (he had already named her elder brother Trajan). Her mother, Elizabeth Inglis, was a British actress who had sacrificed her career for a family…

Born on November 17, 1978, in London, Ontario, Canada, Rachel McAdams became involved with acting as a teenager and by the age of 13 was performing in Shakespearean productions in summer theater camp; she went on to graduate with honors with a BFA degree in Theater from York University. After her debut in an episode of Disney’s The Famous Jett Jackson…

Bryce Dallas Howard was born on March 2, 1981, in Los Angeles, California. She was conceived in Dallas, Texas (the reason for her middle name). Her father, named Ron Howard, is a former actor turned Oscar-winning director. Her mother is actress and writer Cheryl Howard (nee Alley). Her famous relatives include her uncle…

Jeon Do-yeon spent five years starring in television dramas before achieving instant star status with her film debut opposite Han Seok-gyu in The Contact. She has since gone on to take a wide variety of roles, from her performance as a schoolgirl in Harmonium in My Memory to that of a wife having an adulterous affair in Happy End…

Striking Irish actor Cillian Murphy is the oldest child of teacher parents. He has three younger siblings. Murphy was educated at Presentation Brothers College, Cork. He went on to study law at University College Cork, but dropped out after about a year. During this time Murphy also pursued an interest in music…

Born in 1964 in the Italian village of Città di Castello, Umbria, Bellucci originally pursued a career in the legal profession. While attending the University of Perugia, she modeled on the side to earn money for school, and this led to her modeling career. In 1988, she moved to one of Europe’s fashion centers…

Sharon Stone was born and raised in Meadville, a small town in Pennsylvania. Her strict father was a factory worker and her mother was a homemaker. She was the second of four children. At the age of 15, she studied in Saegertown High School, Pennsylvania and, at that same age, entered Edinboro State University of Pennsylvania…

Catherine Zeta-Jones was born on 25 September 1969, in Swansea, West Glamorgan, Wales, UK, the daughter of Dai Jones, who formerly owned a candy factory, and Pat Jones. Her brother David Jones (b. 1967) is a development executive and brother Lyndon Jones (b.1972) works at her production company. Catherine showed an interest early on in entertainment…

Born and raised in Toledo, Ohio, Katie Holmes acted in high school theater productions before meeting a manager who encouraged her to go to LA for television’s pilot season. She won a part in the acclaimed feature film The Ice Storm in her very first audition, but she didn’t stop there. A videotape was sent to Dawson’s Creek…

South Korean actor Jang Dong Gun starred in two record-breaking box office hits; one of which was ‘Friend,’ the highest grossing Korean film at the time. He gained widespread critical acclaim for his portrayal of a troubled high school student who chooses the life of organized crime, paving the way for him to star in the 2004 hit ‘Taegukgi:The Brotherhood of War’…

Renée Kathleen Zellweger was born on April 25, 1969, in Katy, Texas, USA to parents Emil Erich Zellweger, a Swiss-born engineer who married Renée’s mother Kjellfrid Irene Andreassen, a Norwegian-born former nurse and midwife in 1963. Renée also has a brother named Drew Zellweger, a marketing executive born on February 15…

In 1997 Ashton Kutcher was a biochemical engineering student at University of Iowa and was discovered by a local talent scout. He has a fraternal twin brother, Michael, and a sister, Tausha. He grew up in rural Homestead, Iowa, graduating from Clear Creek-Amana High School in Tiffin, Iowa. In 2010, Kutcher was named one of Time Magazine’s Top 100 Most Influential People…

Patrick Wayne Swayze was born on August 18, 1952 in Houston, Texas. His mother is choreographer Patsy Swayze, owner of a dance school in Houston, where Patrick was also a student. His father was Jesse Wayne Swayze, a chemical plant engineer who passed away in 1982. He graduated from Waltrip High School in Houston…